Outside-Life
by Lafuan Qifays
Summary: The life of the School-Living Club after graduation and the trial that follows. Faced with a world where danger comes from the living and the undead, can they find their sanctuary? And could there be more to Yuuta than what he knows about himself? Secrets shall be revealed and the love between Yuuta and Yuki will be tested to the limit. Sequel to 'School-Live with Kiriha Yuuta'.
1. Chapter 1: Journey's Beginning

Chapter 1 - Journey's Beginning

On a desolate road, a small car drove through the empty streets, dodging human-like figures that lingered on the ground. Inside the car, five peoples, four girls and one boy, sat quietly in their seats, once in a while gazing at the apocalyptic scene outside.

"Hoi, Yuki!" the driver, a girl of long purple hair tied in a twintail, turned to the backseat. "Where do I turn?"

"Um, let's see…" sitting at the back between two peoples, a short pink-haired girl, answered. "Right. Third District, Fifth Block. Right at the next junction," said the girl, Takeya Yuki is her name.

"Gotcha."

"Hey, Kurumi-chan," Yuki spoke again.

"Yeah?" Ebisuzawa Kurumi, the one driving the car, said.

"Graduation trips are fun, aren't they?"

"Whoa!" the car suddenly turns sharply to the side due to Kurumi being surprised at the sudden question.

"Don't talk to the driver when she's driving," reminded the girl with short white hair that Yuki lands on when the car made the sudden turn.

"Sorry, Mii-kun…" Yuki apologised to her. Her name is Naoki Miki by the way, and she's one year younger than the others in the car.

"Hey, Ri-san," moving from her previous position, Yuki next asked the person with long brown hair sitting on the front passenger's seat. "Graduation trips are fun, aren't they?"

The person, who's name is Wakasa Yuuri and the big sister figure of the group replied with a kind smile. "Yes, they are."

"Hoi, Yuki," Kurumi voices from the driver's seat while her eyes were still on the road. "Why don't you go talk to Yuuta or something? I'm trying to focus driving here if you didn't notice."

Yuki bit her lips in embarrassment. "Ah, but Yuu-kun's asleep you see…" she then pointed to her left. Residing there was a boy with slightly spiky black hair and the sole male in the car. "And I don't want to wake him up."

"What… he's still sleeping?" questioned Kurumi with a tone of disbelief. "I can't believe it. How did he manage to sleep with having you talking loudly next to his ears?"

"It's certainly mysterious," Miki remarked. "Just as mysterious as why Yuuta-senpai decided to be your boyfriend."

"H-Hey! That's mean, Mii-kun," protested Yuki on her underclassman's comment. "Yuu-kun wants to be with me because I'm cute and I loved him too, that's why!"

"Yuki-chan…" Yuuri spoke from up in front. "Keep it down, please. You don't want to wake him up, don't you?"

At this time, Yuu-kun, or to say his real name Kiriha Yuuta, woke up from his slumber and rubbed his eyes to rid himself of any remaining sleep. "Yawn… Why so noisy?"

"Ah, sorry Yuu-kun," Yuki immediately apologised, again. "Kurumi-chan and Mii-kun were talking so much that they disturb your sleep."

"Hey!" Both the accused persons shouted at her.

"Don't push the blame on us. You're the one who's talking too loud."

"That's right, senpai. Take responsibility for your actions."

Yuki shrank in her seat upon the angry auras of Kurumi and Miki. Yuuta meanwhile, just waved his hand in a lazy manner.

"Don't sweat it. I'm not one to care for such trivial things, after all," Hearing that, the two then returned to focus on their previous activities, namely, driving and gazing out of the window, respectively.

"So, Ri-san," Yuuta spoke to initiate a conversation. "What do you think of our supplies? Are they still sufficient to support us?"

"Hmm, let me think…" placing a finger on her chin, she thought for a good ten seconds before replying. "Since we did bring many things from the school, including large amounts of food, I could safely presume that we're in the green for the moment. As long as we use them wisely, they should keep us fed for a month at least."

"I see…" absorbing the information, he asked Kurumi next. "How about the car's fuel, Kurumi? Is it still enough for a long distance?"

"The fuel? Let's see…" staring at the fuel meter, Kurumi did some basic calculations and estimation before answering. "With this amount, I don't think we're fit to go for a long length of time. It will be barely sufficient to get us to the College, though. Including all the blockades and detours that we need to go through, of course. So, unless we found a working gas station or some cans of fuel, that's about as far as we can go."

"Is that so…" Yuuta muttered. 'So, it's not really enough to go all the way to Randall Corporation it seems. And I was hoping to check on the place for at least once to see if Dad's really there and alive. Guess I'm out of luck, huh?'

"Why do you ask all this, Yuuta?" inquired Kurumi whose words brought him back from his deep thoughts.

"Ah, nothing really. Just asking," Yuuta responded quickly so as not to reveal his intentions. It's not like he's hiding something important, right?

* * *

Stopping near a convenience store, Kurumi parked the car in front of the building.

"That's as far as we go for today," Kurumi said, tired after driving all day.

"Good work!" exclaimed Yuki.

"Looks like it'll take longer than we expected," spoke Miki. "It looked so close on the map…" she pointed at the position of the college.

"It's thanks to all these blockades."

"Yeah," Miki agreed with Kurumi.

Opening the car door, Yuuta exited the vehicle. "Well then, I'll go and check the place out first."

"Wait," voiced Yuuri. "You can't go alone."

"Heh, so… who wants to come with me? Raise your hand!" Yuuta asked.

"Hai hai! Me!" as desired by him, Yuki was the one to raise her hand at the offer.

"And the chosen one is… Takeya Yuki-san!" shouted Yuuta as if he's the announcer of a game show. "Now please come out and claim your prize, a short exploration trip with me, Kiriha Yuuta!"

"Yay!" Yuki stepped out of the car and held Yuuta's hand. "Now, off we go!"

"Go!" the two then walked normally to the store's entrance.

"H-Hey, be careful you two!" Yuuri, surprised at the speed of events, could only give a word of warning before they entered the shop. "Honestly, those two."

Meanwhile, Kurumi chuckled at Yuuta's and Yuki's actions. "Even in this situation, those two still act the same as before. It's almost like they're made for each other."

"That's… true," replied Miki with a tone of disappointment. "They compliment each other so well despite their differences."

Hearing both Kurumi's and Miki's opinion, Yuuri giggled and agreed with them. "I hope they'll stay that way for a long time, for their sakes," then her voice lowered. "…and ours too."

* * *

"It's pretty desolate in here," commented Yuuta on the condition of the store's inside. "There's barely any consumable supplies left."

"The mangas all gone too!" Yuki shouted in shock when she approached the bookshelf.

Yuuta shook his head. "Really… that's what you're worried about first? Though I should've expected that." Looking at the other parts of the store, he said to her. "I'll go check the back. Stay where you are, okay?"

"Okay. I'll clean the place up," she replied. Placing back a book she's reading before, Yuki then get's her hands on a broom. Sweeping the floor of dust, she also picked any trash and inserted them inside a plastic bag. All while Yuuta was inspecting the dark sides of the interior for any undeads.

When Yuuta returned from his inspection, relieved that there weren't any of the undeads in the shop, the first thing he sees was Yuki cleaning the place. The sight brought a strange feeling inside his chest, one that he didn't know the meaning of. So, he did the one thing that he knew he should be doing in this situation.

"Hey, Yuki…" she turned her head to him. "Do you want any help with that?"

Yuki smiled at him. "I'll appreciate it, Yuu-kun."

* * *

"This feels so much better," Kurumi remarked as she lay at the floor inside her sleeping bag. The other girls were also doing the same at the moment.

"It's pretty rough sleeping in the car, after all," spoke Miki. "Though I feel sorry for Yuuta-senpai since he's stuck with patrolling the outside."

"He willingly chose to do that, so you don't have to feel bad," Yuuri stated. "That said, I also feel thankful to him for cleaning this place for us."

"Wait, that's not true at all, Ri-san!" exclaimed Yuki. "I was the one who did most of the work."

"What… there's no way that true, right?" Kurumi asked in disbelief over the statement.

"Yes, you must be joking, senpai," accused Miki.

Yuki pouted at the accusation. "That's so mean, Mii-kun. It really is the truth."

"Well, if that is what you say then I guess we've got no choice but to believe you," said Yuuri, though Yuki could see that she's not believing her so much.

"Mou~ You're all being very mean to me, you know," Yuki turned her body so that she faced the entrance. "If only Yuu-kun is here,"

"Then what, you want him to sleep with you?" laughed Kurumi at her own suggestion.

"That may not be such a bad idea," unfortunately, Yuki seemed to be seriously thinking about those words. She rubbed her chin as she mulled over the idea. "Then we can get closer than before!"

"Yuki-chan…"

"Yuki-senpai…"

Yuuri and Miki both stared at her with open mouths, unable to believe the words that just came out of her lips.

"Hoi, you did realise what sleeping with a guy means, right?" Kurumi asked after several seconds of silence.

"Of course I do!" exclaimed Yuki. "It means we're sleeping together, in the same bed, next to each other. What more is there to it?"

The three girls facepalmed at her naivety. Shaking her head, Yuuri commented on Yuki's condition.

"You still haven't changed much, Yuki-chan."

"Yes, still the same senpai as always," said Miki.

"I don't know whether I should feel sorry or wary on Yuuta," Kurumi stated.

"Well then, it's getting late so why don't we go to sleep now? We've got to rise early tomorrow after all."

At Yuuri's suggestion, the girls all tucked inside their sleeping bag. After saying 'good night' to each other, they slowly closed their eyes.

* * *

Staring at the ceiling, Yuki blinked once again. The night was still black and the only light illuminating the dark was a flashlight shining from Yuki's front.

"Fuwa~"

Lifting the upper half of her body, Yuki glanced to her sides. In their sleeping bags, Yuuri, Kurumi and Miki were still sound asleep.

Rising on her feet, she took the flashlight and started walking to the entrance.

"Yuki-chan… what are you doing?"

That is until a voice stopped her in her tracks. Turning around, she gave her reply to the owner of the voice.

"Ri-san, um, I'm just going outside for a while. I want to see the stars," the response was given in a not so convincing manner.

"No, I won't allow it. You can't go outside all alone at night," Yuuri spoke sternly.

In the darkness, she could see Yuki smiling. "But I'm not alone, right? Yuu-kun's out there and he'll take care of me, so you don't have to worry."

"That's…" Yuuri paused. She had forgotten that Yuuta is outside the store, patrolling for any danger. "You're right. I forgot about him."

"Then, can I go out, Ri-san? I'll make sure to stay close beside Yuu-kun," her eyes were glinting with an eagerness that Yuuri suspects is related to something else other than star-watching.

"Yes, you can go, Yuki-chan," Yuki's smile grew wider. "But please wear something more appropriate for the occasion. You're not going to meet him wearing just that, right?"

Pausing, Yuki looked downwards to her attire, a transparent pink negligee with yellow shorts. A blush crept on her cheeks as she realised her current state of attire.

"I-I-I'll wear my jacket now!" scrambling, she went to her bag to get her pink hoodie jacket.

Watching the scene, Yuuri could only sigh at her friend's antic.

* * *

"Waaahh, so tired."

Plopping myself on a wooden bench placed just outside the store, I set down my sword beside me. Stretching my body, I sighed as the fatigue began to affect my body. Leaning onto the bench, I stared at the scene in front of me.

Even in the bleak darkness of the night, I could make out the figures of the undeads marching down the streets. Since the sun had set hours ago, their numbers are not that many, only a handful of them. However, one shouldn't take them too lightly, lest they'll regret it. It is for that reason that I'm patrolling to begin with, looking for any signs of danger from them. Thankfully, they don't seem to approach this place so much and the few that does were quickly silenced by me.

It's certainly a weird sensation, silencing them I mean. The moment my sword made contact with them, I felt… something flowing from inside me. It all started after Yuki used my sword to revert me back to normal. However, it's a different sensation. While at that time the feeling was comfortable, calming and overall good, afterwards, I felt a sensation of power, strength and… I don't know… potential?

'Come to think of it, I think this is the same feeling I had when I first used the sword against them, even before I met the girls. It's just that I only know the difference when Yuki used it,' rubbing my chin, I asked aloud. "What could all this mean?"

"What means are you talking about, Yuu-kun?"

"Wah!" I immediately moved to the side, startled by the voice. Looking at my right, I noticed that it was only Yuki, wearing her usual nightwear and carrying a flashlight. She's also peering close to me, too close that I wondered how I didn't notice her before.

"Ha… so it was just you, Yuki," calming my heart down, I turned to her and ask for her purpose of being outside. "So, what are you doing here?"

She took a seat on the bench and I scooted away to give her some space. "Well, I want to see the stars. I always want to know how pretty they are."

"The stars?" I glanced upwards into the empty night sky, or what I thought was empty.

"Wooh…" mouth gaping wide, I stared at the scenery in front of my eyes. The stars, no longer hindered by air pollution coming from the smokes of cars and factories, were shining brightly against the black night sky. The contrast was great, how the many dots of light were twinkling like pearls and in the background, the dark sky, a canvas for the gathering of glimmering stars. The view from the bench was so clear, as clear as the view from the countryside where my grandparents reside. I even felt a tear dropping from my eyes at such a beautiful scene.

"Isn't is beautiful, Yuu-kun?" turning to my right, I remembered that Yuki was sitting beside me. I felt embarrassed for forgetting about her presence but she doesn't seem to mind, eyes also locked on the scenic view. "I never knew they could be this pretty."

"Yes, you're correct," I responded. "Such a sight was always covered by the smokes from industries and vehicles. Since almost no one's using them anymore nowadays, the atmosphere had cleared greatly, allowing us to see this view."

"Heh…" was all she said, pink eyes still fixed on the night sky. Taking advantage of her distraction, I tore my sights from the stars and her. Resting my left arm on the armrest and supporting my chin with the hand, I looked in front of me again, mind rewinding back to the thought I had before.

'I wonder what secret I don't know about this sword,' I glanced at the sword in question. 'Heck, now that I think about it, I don't even know its name and never bothered giving it one. I wonder if it actually had one originally since even my grandfather doesn't know. Dad may know, but he never told me once before. Well, if he did turn out still alive I could just ask him. If not, then I can make my own name for it. Let's see, what name would suit this sword best?'

"Yuu-kun, why are the stars…" Yuki turned her head, wanting to ask a question to Yuuta but noticed that he seems to be in deep thought. She knew from the looks of it that Yuuta's thinking hard about something but she still pouted in a selfish manner at his ignorance to her. Nevertheless, however upset she was feeling, she realised that surprising him would not work so well. So, she decided to catch his attention as subtly as she can.

Grabbing Yuuta's right hand, Yuki took notice of how cold it was. Perplexed at the sensation, she inquired Yuuta about it.

"Ne… Yuu-kun, you're hand's so cold you know."

"What? My hand?" I was brought back from my pondering by Yuki's words. Staring at my left hand, I didn't notice that it had dropped in temperature. 'Maybe I've stayed too long out here.'

"Ne… Yuu-kun," Yuki spoke to Yuuta once more to bring his attention to her. However, he's still thinking deeply, albeit on a different matter now. "Mou~ you're so cold, Yuu-kun."

Turning my head to Yuki, I saw her pouting her face at me. The sight was cute, I admit, but somehow her statement irked me a little. And so, I brought both of my hands and touched her cheeks.

Then I pulled on them.

"Hey, that's not what you should say to your own boyfriend you know," I grinned as I watched her funny face. "Do you know how hard it is to take care of you?"

"Ha ha, stop it, Yuu-kun! Stop it!" protested Yuki but I just kept on pulling her cheeks. It's only after a minute when I let go of them.

"Ow… that hurts…" rubbing her now sore cheeks, Yuki pouted once more. "Yuu-kun, you meanie."

"Hey~ want me to pull on them again?" I threatened with an evil grin. She quickly shook her head before unexpectedly reaching for my right hand.

Caressing the hand with her cheek, she exclaimed. "Hey, your hand is warm now, Yuu-kun. How strange."

"Really?" I asked, also confused. "Well, of course it's warm, just like my heart when I'm with you."

Hearing Yuuta uttered those words, Yuki blushed. "T-That's embarrassing you know." Then, she sneezed and wiped her nose with the sleeve of her jacket. "Brr… it's cold."

Looking at her shivering, I realised how thin Yuki's clothes were. Even with her jacket, there's no doubt the temperature is too much for her body to take. So, I did the most gentlemanly thing that I never thought I would have the chance to do.

"Here, Yuki. Wear this," taking off my own black jacket, I dropped it onto her head. "You'll get a cold otherwise."

"Ah, thanks," looking at the clothing that Yuuta had given her, Yuki proceeded to wrap it around her body. Even in the cold air of the night, the jacket was warm and had a trace of Yuuta's smell on it. Sniffing on the piece of fabric, she felt herself calming down from the scent.

Watching at Yuki sniffing on my jacket, a massive blush rises onto my face. 'Gosh, it's really embarrassing to look at,' I thought as I hid my face with one hand. Peeking through my fingers, I noticed that she's smiling as she wrapped the jacket closer around her frame. Even though I'm currently feeling very embarrassed about her behaviour, a part of me was also feeling happy for managing to make her smile widely as now. Instinctively, I reached for her body and pulled her close to me

"Eeep!" she squealed when our bodies touched. "W-What are you doing?"

"Why? Can't I enjoy being close to my girlfriend once in a while?" I said with a smirk on my face. "Or could it be that you don't like it?" with a tone of mock disappointment I asked. "Well, it's your choice then."

"Wait!" Yuki exclaimed when I was just going to withdraw my arm. "It's not that I don't like it, I'm just surprised, that's all. I also like being close to you."

"Good to know then."

A minute passed later when Yuki began feeling comfortable in Yuuta's embrace. Being still very sleepy, she rested her head on Yuuta's shoulder before closing her eyes, drifting to sleep with a peaceful look on her face.

Smiling, I stared at Yuki's sleeping expression. Somehow, she reminds me of Ruiko, what's with her mannerisms and personality, not to mention their heights. I chuckled as I pictured how Ruiko would react if she knew that my girlfriend is the same size as her. I sure hope she doesn't start calling me a lolicon.

Lifting my head up, I turned around and glanced at the store's entrance door. "Ri-san~, Kurumi~, Miki~," I spoke in a sing-song voice. "Don't you three should be in bed at this moment?"

Right after I said those words, I immediately heard the sound of something falling on the floor, along with the sound of a couple of footsteps going away from my position. 'Did they really think I couldn't sense them from here?'

After the sound of those steps are heard no more, I looked back at Yuki's face. Parting away some of the hair covering her face, I kissed her forehead lightly. "Good night, Yuki. Sweet dreams."

* * *

"Waahh…"

Yawning widely, Yuki pushed her eyes open as she took notice of her surroundings. Rubbing her eyes, the first thing she noticed was how hot she's feeling. The second was the pressure being afflicted from her left side. Turning her head in that direction, she came face-to-face with the sleeping face of Yuuta. Immediately, a blush manifested across her face at the close proximity between their faces.

Not wanting to let the others see her in this situation lest they tease her endlessly about it, Yuki tried to wriggle her body away from Yuuta. Unfortunately, Yuuta's hold on her pretty much results in trapping her in the position.

"Yuu-kun, wake up," unsuccessful in her endeavour, she next tried to wake Yuuta from his slumber. Shaking his body, the action doesn't seem to have any visible success since Yuuta's eyes were still closed, as they usually were when he's sleeping.

Sighing, Yuki next moved on to tickling him. It didn't work, as evidence from Yuuta's still peaceful look. The only difference was that his face twitched a bit, but that's all there is.

Again, Yuki let out a sigh. 'Yuu-kun's really a sleepyhead.' Furthermore, she could see that the sun had already risen from the horizon. If she didn't hurry up soon, the others are really going to see them.

Then, an idea entered her mind. It's a bit risky and embarrassing but if it can wake Yuuta up, she would do it. Steeling herself, Yuki closed the distance between her and Yuuta, their lips so near. However, that was not her objective(it's still too much for her), her true destination was Yuuta's right ear.

Her lips brushed softly against his ear, she whispered smoothly and seductively into his eardrum.

"Yuu~kun~, wake~up~"

The effect was almost immediate, with Yuuta opening his eyes and rising from the bench before falling on the ground in just two seconds while holding his right ear. "Y-Yuki, w-what are you doing?" he asked shakily, a massive blush on his face.

Watching Yuuta suddenly being embarrassed, Yuki grinned evilly and said with mock disappointment, mirroring Yuuta's tone from the previous night. "I just want to try saying that to you. What, don't you like it, Yuu-kun~?"

"I-I-I" his voice was still stuttering, trying to register what just happened to him. "I… don't mind it…" he sighed. "But could you not do that so suddenly first thing in the morning? I thought I was gonna have a heart attack you know."

"Ehehe. Sorry sorry," Yuki then walked to Yuuta and extended her hand. "Good morning, Yuu-kun."

Yuuta excepted the hand. "Yeah, good morning to you too."

After getting back up on his feet, Yuuta proceeded to stretch his body, flexing his limbs to get rid of any sleep. Granted, he's most probably going to doze off again in the car but the preparation is what matters.

Meanwhile, Yuki sat on the bench, content with watching Yuuta performing his morning exercise. That is, until she remembered that she needs to be inside the store before the other girls realised she still hasn't returned to her bed.

Getting up, she made her way to the entrance before Yuuta spoke to her. "Ah, Yuki. You're going inside already?"

"Yes."

"Then, can you please tell those girls standing behind the pillars not to eavesdrop on our conversation next time? I don't think they got my message last night."

"Ha? What do you mean, Yuu-kun…" Yuki wanted to inquire before she spotted a white colour moving from the corner of her eyes. She blushed as she began to understand the meaning behind Yuuta's words. "Ha… ha…" she quickly stepped into the store and saw the three girls just about to get back into their sleeping bags. "What did you see?!"

Outside the store, Yuuta chuckled at her reaction as he grabbed his sword and followed Yuki into the shop.

* * *

After Yuki had finished lecturing Yuuri, Kurumi and Miki about eavesdropping on other peoples, she made them promise never to do it again. The three didn't really want to make the promise but one look from Yuki's angry expression and they quickly gave their word. Several steps behind Yuki, Yuuta just laughed at the scene.

Now, Yuki had gone back to her normal expression and sitting in the front passenger seat of the car. Next to her on the driver's seat was Kurumi, just about to start the car and begin their journey for the day.

"Don't touch anything in front, okay?" Kurumi reminded Yuki.

"Okay, but… I wanna see what this does," said Yuki as her finger hovered near the radio.

"Got it, got it. You can put on some music if you want."

"Yay~" opening the dashboard drawer, Yuki took out a CD case and inserted the disc inside the radio. Then, she pressed a button. "Like this?"

For a second, the radio was silent and you can even hear Yuuta's slow breathing as he sleeps at the back. Then, a voice suddenly emitted from the speakers, startling the girls and especially Yuuta.

"Hello? Can anyone hear me?" the voice spoke. "This is Megurigaoka Station 111! To all you people out there who survived the world ending- How are you doing?"

"What the heck did you just put in?" asked Kurumi.

"Um, this," Yuki showed her the CD case, titled 'Easy Rider'.

"What?" Kurumi looked in confusion.

"Well, it's not like anyone can hear me, anyway. Sigh… my bad," the voice kept speaking. "Anyway- 111's broadcast starts now!"

"Hey, isn't this the radio?" Miki suddenly spoke from the back.

"Ah…" Kurumi realised.

"Let's start the day with a pick-me-up!"

"It is. It's on A.M.." stated Yuuri after looking at the frequency.

"Our first number, from Das Beste's 'Descended From Heaven Number 3', 'War Never Ends'!"

"Does this mean…" Yuuta, eyes fully open now, said.

"There's still someone out there!" Kurumi finished his sentence.

As the music starts playing, the five cheered and high-fived each other.

"Thank you all for listening," the voice continued after the song ended. "It's been really quiet, lately, too quiet. It doesn't hurt to be a bit noisier! This is station 111! No matter how tough the going gets, I'll be here to give you hope and music! See you all tomorrow!"

And with that, the transmission ends for the day.

* * *

Greetings, so we meet again, or could this be our first meeting? Well, I doubt it. Anyway, welcome to the sequel of my School-Live story 'School-Live with Kiriha Yuuta', 'Outside-Life'!

I'm pretty sure the title would tell you all you need to know about the premise of this story which is basically the adventures of the School-Living Club after they graduated from the school. This story will follow the manga storyline, well some of it according to my tastes. Of course, some details are going to change, whether slightly or greatly.

Also, a word of notice. Yuuri's little sister, Ruu, will not appear in this story. If you've read the manga to several chapters after the girls moved on from the school, you'll understand why I don't want to include her. I'm not really a fan of confusing characters, no matter how hypocrite I may sound now. Don't worry, though, a Ruu will join the group some time later in the story. Who it is, I'll leave it for your own interpretation.

Finally, this story will become more ridiculous as time pass, especially near the ending. How ridiculous you might say? Think Gurren Lagann ridiculous. And I mean it. However, it also means that the story will become more awesome, again, according to one's own perspective.

This author's note had become too long it seems, so I'll just stop here to keep myself from spoiling anymore. That said, look forward to future chapters as I'll try my best to keep writing as fast as I can. See you later everyone~


	2. Chapter 2: Hope for Another Person

Chapter 2 – Hope for Another Person

"Waaahh…"

Yawning widely, Yuki stretched her arms inside the cramped car. All around her, the other girls, Miki, Kurumi and Yuuri are still asleep. She's the first to wake up.

Parting away the curtains covering the car's window and opening it, she let in the sunlight into the vehicle.

"Good morning, Yuki."

Yuki shrieked a bit when suddenly, a face peered upside down through her side of the window and spoke to her.

"Sorry sorry, guess I scared you a little, ha?" the voice spoke again. After squinting her eyes to remove any blurriness from the sleep, Yuki recognised the face as that of Yuuta's.

"Yuu-kun, don't come out of nowhere like that!" she chastised on her boyfriend's behaviour. Yuuta for his part only smiled childishly and hopped from the car's roof.

Flexing the muscles in his body, Yuuta yawned before replying her. "You don't have to shout like that, you know. Everyone's going to wake up if you do that."

"Hey, what's the ruckus?" Miki said next to Yuki while rubbing her eyes.

"See?"

"Is it morning already?" asked Kurumi in a still sleepy voice. Yuuri also began to move from beneath her blanket.

"Senpai, what's the matter?" Closing her mouth, Miki blinked twice before massaging her neck. "Oww, my neck hurts…"

Yawning, Yuuri removed the cloth covering her body. "Maybe sleeping inside a car this small is not a good idea after all."

"I know right?" agreed Kurumi.

"Now now, don't complain," said Yuuta, peeking through the opened window beside Yuki. "You're the one who wanted to sleep inside there. I did ask some of you to accompany me up on the roof but no one seemed to be willing."

"You're crazy, Yuuta," Kurumi remarked. "Who in their right minds would want to sleep outside without protection in this kind of world? What's more, do you know how cold it is outside? I may be able to endure it for a while but definitely not an entire night."

"Ehh, excuses excuses," remarked Yuuta in a playful tone. "Anyway, hurry up! We need to meet that person on the radio today, right?"

"Yuuta-senpai, calm down," Miki tried to placate her upperclassman's spirit. "Give us some time to wash up first."

"That's right," spoke Kurumi again. "I don't know about you, but a girl gotta clean up first thing in the morning. It's common sense."

"Fine fine, I'll wait for a bit," Yuuta compromised. Turning his back to the car, he informed them. "By the way, Yuki's already outside."

Peering from the car, true enough the girls saw Yuki currently brushing her teeth before gurgling and spitting the waste water out. Walking back towards them, she exclaimed. "Come on, everyone! Rise and shine!"

"Who's the late one now, hmm?"

Seeing Yuuta snickering at them, Miki's and Kurumi glared at him while Yuuri just shook her head.

* * *

"So, where do you think the person lives?" Yuki inquired after the girls have finished their morning preparations. Just like usual, Yuki sat in the back seat between Miki and Yuuta while Yuuri was in the driver's seat with Kurumi beside her.

"Beats me," replied Kurumi. "The radio station, maybe?"

"I don't think it'd be somewhere that big," Yuuta remarked while yawning, the fatigue starting to catch up with him. "We can only get the signal from around here, after all."

"So… a house somewhere around here?" questioned Kurumi.

"How are we going to find something like that?" Yuuri asked.

"We can try fiddling with the antenna-"

"Good morning! It's a wonderful day!" the radio suddenly emits a loud voice, interrupting Miki's sentence. "Well, not that I know. I can't see outside from here," the voice continued. "This is station 111! Thanks for tuning in again today!"

The loud sound effectively brought Yuuta from his mid-slumber as he focused on the radio just like the other members.

"Hey listeners! If you're tuning in right now, why not try paying me a visit?" two coughs accompanied the voice.

"Hello over there! Where exactly do you stay?" Yuki peered closer to the speaker and asked the radio.

Another cough was heard before the voice speaks again. "There'll be tea and sweets for those who visit! As for where I am-" the person then started telling her address.

"Wow!" Yuki was surprised at the answer.

"Did she just-"

"No, no, no, no, no," Miki cut off Yuuri's words of disbelief.

"It's likely she tells the address regularly so that someone would know where she resides," explained Yuuta. And yes, the voice does sound like that of a female.

"But thanks to that, we know it should be…" Kurumi pointed at an area in the map. "Uh, here?"

"It should be over here," showed Yuki.

"Uh, umm…" hesitated Kurumi before handing the map to the person behind her. "Yuki, please."

"Roger that!" Opening the piece of paper, she began to read the path to their destination. "We'll have to take quite a detour, but I think we'll be able to get there before afternoon."

"Then, shall we get going?" asked Yuuta.

"Yeah. Let's go," Yuuri agreed.

* * *

"Ri-san! Stop!" shouted Miki at the sight of the blockade of vehicles in front of them.

Yuuri reversed the car back to the previous street. "That's another dead end."

"This part of the town is all blocked up," Yuki crossed on the map the location of the street they just entered. To better guide the path, she switched seats with Kurumi.

"That said, even the larger roads are all jammed," commented Kurumi.

"Do you suppose there's a reason for all this?"

"It's the government," Kurumi gave an answer to Yuki's question.

"It's always the government's fault," added Yuuta.

"That's it! When I turn twenty I'll vote for whoever promises to widen the roads!" Yuki exclaimed.

Yuuri glanced at the two. "Why don't we take a little break?"

* * *

Resting against the car, Yuuri yawned widely.

"Was it really that tiring?" inquired Yuuta who's also leaning on the car.

"I haven't been sleeping well recently, so…"

"It's because of the car isn't it?" Kurumi approached the two when she returned from a store they stopped for a while. "Should we camp somewhere for a few days?"

"We'll run out of water if we do that."

"Oh yeah…" Kurumi realised.

"All we have to do is to keep driving until we reach our destination," spoke Yuuta. "We'll find some good place to rest eventually."

"That's right, Yuuta-kun," massaging her neck, Yuuri replied. "Let's keep doing our best."

"Yeah!"

* * *

"What you just heard was 'Friendship Tower' by Gunjyou! Before our next song- Know that Station 111 will always be open to your requests!"

"Yuki-senpai," Miki called for her.

"Yes?"

"E-mail, phone, post, messenger pigeon, hell give me a shout!"

"What kind of person to you think she is?" inquired Miki.

Yuki smiled at her. "A very cheerful one, that's for sure."

"Is that… you really think so?" Confused, Yuki looked at her.

"I'd love to meet in person more than anything, though," two more coughs were heard over the radio. "Oh dear, did I catch a cold? It really sucks when you fall sick and you're alone. All you people out there, make sure you don't catch a seasonal cold!"

"We… I mean, the five of us," Miki spoke again while fiddling her fingers. "Would it really be okay… if there were more of us?"

"You mean if someone joins us?"

"Like… what if they turn out to be scary peoples? What if we end up fighting?"

"You know, I was very happy when you joined us, Mii-kun!" said Yuki.

"Yes, I know that, senpai."

Yuki was shocked to hear that but smiled a second later. "And not just you, I'm really grateful that we get to meet Yuu-kun."

"As if that wasn't obvious enough," Miki snickered. Yuki decided to ignore the comment and continued.

"There were times when we butted heads with each other, but there are also fun times that we spend together. What's important is that we're always friends at the end," cheerfully, Yuki grabbed Miki's sword and shoved it into her hands. "And if they do turn out to be bad peoples, you, Yuu-kun and Kurumi-chan will protect us, won't you?"

"So basically, what you want to say is the more the merrier, right?"

Peeking her head from the front seat window was Kurumi. "Woah! Kurumi-chan!"

"You say some good things once in a while, don't you, Yuki?"

Yuki pouted at Kurumi's words. "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it, Yuki-chan," Yuuri entered the car. "We're just surprised that you can say something so inspiring, that's all."

"Yeah yeah, that's true," nodded Kurumi. "It's nice to know that you've become a little bit mature."

"What do you mean 'a little bit mature'?" The pink-haired girl fumed in a cute way. "I'm approaching eighteen years old! I say I'm already mature enough!" She puffed her chest out in pride.

"Mature… you say?" Kurumi and Yuuri proceeded to stare at Yuki's chest, comparing it with their own. "Which part of you is mature again?"

"You… two!" Raising her hands, Yuki shouted at the girls. They just laughed at her which only served to provoke her further.

Watching from the sidelines, Miki chuckled at the interaction between her three upperclassmen.

"That's a nice smile you got there."

"Huh?" Turning to her side, the owner of the voice turns out to be Yuuta, resting his arms on the windowsill. "What do you mean, senpai?"

"I noticed, you've been a little gloomy ever since we left the school. I thought at first that it may be related to Taroumaru, such as you're still not over his death yet. But it's not just about him, right? There's something else that contributes to your current depression."

Miki was perplexed at how easy it seemed for Yuuta to read him as if he's reading a book. Well, after spending a lot of time reading that book she bought perhaps she have turned into one too. "You're really amazing, senpai. I didn't think that others would notice."

"We do actually," the three girls still continued to chat among themselves in the background. "We're a close-knit club, what one of us feel, the others would feel it too, no matter how hard you may try to hide it."

"I'm sorry if I worried you," Miki wiped some tears she didn't know were present in her eyes. "But I'm alright now, thanks to Yuki-senpai."

"Does this have something to do with the possibility of our numbers increasing?" asked Yuuta. The response he got was a nod. "I don't think you have to worry about that matter. What's important is to meet them first and see how they're like. Just like Yuki said, if they do prove to be dangerous to us…" he pointed at the sword in Miki's hands. "Then we'll protect each other. After all, you're stronger now, aren't you?"

The words uttered by Yuuta brought a strange feeling inside Miki's chest. It was as if all her worries were washed away by the gentleness and assurance present in his speech. Locking eyes with her male upperclassman, she sent a genuine smile to him. "Hai!"

"Ne~ Mii-kun, what are you talking about with Yuu-kun?" Yuki said as she threw her arms around Miki's neck. Then, she lowered her voice and whispered into her ears. "You're not trying to take him away from me, aren't you?"

Those words sent a chill down Miki's spine and she felt that if she didn't explain herself, her life would very likely be in danger. "N-N-No! Of course not. What are you saying, senpai?" Hahaha." Nervously chuckling to calm herself down, Miki could tell that she's not doing a good job of convincing Yuki. Glancing over at Yuuta's direction, she pleaded with her eyes for his help.

Yuuta recognised the distress signal but didn't understand what she could be so afraid of. "If you want to know Yuki, we're talking about how amazing you are."

"Is that so?" Yuki began to relinquish her hold on Miki's neck.

"Y-Yes, that's it!" exclaimed Miki. "We're discussing your good points. Yes, nothing more."

Yuki put her finger on her chin and thought for a moment. "Hmm… I guess I can let it slide if that's all you're talking about."

"Anyway, we gotta go now," Kurumi pointed to a couple of undeads approaching from the distance. The rest of the members then entered the car and fastened their seat belts.

* * *

Yuuri turned the car's engine off as they had arrived at their destination. Exiting the vehicle, the group observed the house in front of them. Well, it's less like a house and more like a small fortress from the very thick concrete that makes up the walls. There's also a metal shutter at the front but it seems to be closed.

"Amazing."

"It looks really… strong."

Kurumi and Yuki gave their comment on the structure as they stared in awe.

"Seriously, who would build a house like this," Yuuta shook his head. "Unless…"

"Unless they knew what would happen," finished Miki.

Kurumi rubbed her chin as she mulled the thought over. "We can just ask them once we meet," Yuki said from beside her.

"Yes but…" Yuuri checked the right side of the building for any entrance. "How do we get inside?"

"Up this ladder I think," spoke Kurumi from the left side, pointing at a ladder attached to the wall.

"Should we go?"

"Someone's got to watch the car."

"You all go on ahead. I'll stay back this time," Yuuri answered Miki's question from Yuki's inquiry.

"All right. Stay safe then," Kurumi went to join Yuuta, Miki and Yuki.

"Okay, we'll be going now, Ri-san," waved Yuki.

* * *

Climbing the ladder, as usual, Yuuta's first to ascend to the top. Arriving at the roof, he noticed a bunker door lock at the middle of the surface. Approaching it, he tried to turn the door but his strength proved to be insufficient. "This thing is really sealed. Gonna need some help it seems." Spotting the other three, she gestured for them to come over.

"Help me out on this thing won't you?" The girls nodded and together they grabbed the door handle and turned. The door eventually opened, revealing another set of ladders going down.

Descending those ladders, with Yuuta at the very top this time, they came to a small room which had yet another bunker door on one side. Miki reached for the handle and turned to the others. "Okay, I'm opening the door."

"Got it," Kurumi held her shovel up and Yuuta drew his sword out, ready for anything that they may find. After the door was fully opened, the four stepped through the entrance, entering another room.

Looking around the room, they observe that there was a stereo system on a table opposite of them while at the right and left were cabinets full of musical records. A small normal-looking door was also present at their right side.

Yuuta moved forward, approaching the desk where the stereo system was. His eyes caught on a piece of paper folded and placed atop it. As he was opening the paper and reading its contents, a loud noise was heard from behind the small door.

Kurumi, Miki and Yuki went over to his position and he gave them the paper. They looked at it and read the message written.

DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!

I'll be inside it. In the closet.

I'll try to end it myself, but I'm not sure if I'll be successful.

If there are any strange sounds, you'll know what happened to me.

To anyone reading this letter, I leave my house and keys to you.

If I could, I would have had some tea with you.

If I could, I would have left this place with you.

If I could-

The last three words were written in near-unrecognisable scribbles, and it ends there.

The girls looked sadly at the letter, the final words of the house's occupant. Yuki turned around and saw that Yuuta had walked away from them and standing in front of the door.

"Yuu-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah…" he said to her. "I'm just going to say hello… and goodbye," his blade unsheathed, he grabbed the handle. "Got to show our manners, right."

"Be careful."

"Don't worry. I will," then, he opened the door.

* * *

After Yuuta finished 'greeting' the owner, the group went to explore the place. They eventually found a basement floor under the house. Searching for the light's switch, Miki turned it on and the room began lighting up, allowing the four to see its interior. Rows and rows of cabinets filled the room, stretching as far as Yuuta's nearsighted eyes can see.

"Wow, look at all this!" Yuki screamed in joy over the discovery and proceeded to run forwards.

"Hey, wait a minute, Yuki!" yelled Yuuta after her.

"It's the same," Miki spoke after the two were gone from their views.

"What is?" inquired Kurumi.

"It's the same as our school's basement. The way it's built. The containers."

"Really? Then surely we can find many supplies here to bring with us."

"Then let's do that," the two faced forward, Yuuta approaching them with Yuki in tow. "We shouldn't waste any resources after all."

"Yeah."

Sitting inside the car, Yuuri looked at the side mirror for the umpteenth time, looking for any indication whether her club members have returned or not. This time, however, she saw them approaching… but with no one else aside from them.

She exited the car. "How was it? Did you find anyone?"

"Sorry, looks like they won't be coming with us," replied Yuuta.

"Really? That's a shame."

"They did give us a present, though," Kurumi held up two keys for her to see. The five then walked to the back of the building. Parked there was an RV, the property of the house's owner that she gave the keys to them.

* * *

The following hour was then spent moving their belongings and supplies from Megu-nee's car into the RV. They also took some of the foods from the building's basement, not all of course, but enough to replenish their resources back.

After Miki handed over the final box of supplies to Kurumi, she turned around and stared at the large building behind her.

"Mii-kun, what's wrong?" she heard Yuki's voice calling for her.

"I was just thinking… about how things might have been… if we have gotten here a little earlier," Miki voiced her thoughts.

"Don't worry," Yuuta appeared at the door. "We'll meet the next one in time for sure."

"Yeah," she entered the RV but not before casting a final glance at the house. "Farewell…"

* * *

"So… who's gonna drive first?" Yuuta asked his friends.

"Me me! I want to drive!" raising her hand, Yuki shouted.

Looking at her, Yuuta repeated his question. "Okay… so who's gonna drive first that's not Yuki."

"Hey!"

"Why don't you take the wheel first, Yuuta-kun," said Yuuri. "I'm fine with not driving."

"Yeah, you can go ahead and drive this thing if you still got the energy left to do it," Kurumi leant her head on the cushion. "I'm beat for today."

Miki giggled at her. "Kurumi-senpai, you're starting to sound like Yuuta-senpai."

"Guess his laziness is starting to infect me then," smirked Kurumi.

"That's not true!" Yuki tried to defend her boyfriend. "I mean… of course Yuu-kun's a little lazy, and he sleeps easily every time, and he sighed when he needs to work, and he doesn't like to talk very much, and-"

"That's enough, Yuki…" Yuuta stopped his girlfriend's not helpful ramblings with tears in his eyes. "I know I'm lazy. Please don't talk anymore…"

Yuki rubbed her head in embarrassment. "Ehehe, sorry."

Moving to the front, Yuuta sat on the driver's seat. Gripping the steering wheel, he tried to familiarise himself with the position. Shifting forwards a little, he looked at the fuel tank meter.

'Hmm… the tank is full, and we did bring some fuel cans from that place. And looking at the map from before, the distance from here to Randall Corporation is, although far, still manageable and attainable. If we follow the shortest route, we can even take a detour and drive to St. Isadore's College after that.'

After a few seconds of thinking and weighing out his options, Yuuta started the RV's engine. "I'm gonna start now, everyone. Fasten your seat belts."

"Okay!"

The vehicle then moved, to the destination that Yuuta had decided.

* * *

Hey everyone~ Author's note again!

So, I'm here to answer a question that might be present in your minds whenever you read a new chapter, namely, 'Why did the author post a new chapter so quickly?'

Now, some of you might not have cared, grateful that my story updates frequently and not stuck without any updates for several weeks or months. Though I admit that my previous story did suffer from that condition at the beginning, at least until I found some great motivation to write.

This motivation is the manga itself. I'm trying to surpass the manga and end my story before it ends. This doesn't mean that I think the manga is not good, no, but I prefer to make this story as far away from becoming an AU as possible. And each new chapter in the manga could potentially joss away any development that I have thought up. And that's unacceptable.

On a side note, I forgot to write this in the previous author's note that this story will reference some animes but not so much that it enters crossover area. That's all for now. Remember to review as each review will give me even more motivation to write faster. See you later ~


	3. Chapter 3: Waking Up is Serious Business

Chapter 3 - Waking Up is Serious Business

Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki sat around the table in the RV, just finished from eating their breakfast. They were now sitting on the couch, relaxing when the door to the toilet opened.

"Washing up with water is the best!" shouted Yuki as she pulled up her skirt.

Kurumi eyed him weirdly. "Ya know…"

"Senpai, I understand how you feel, but as a grown woman…" Miki said with a blush on her cheeks.

"I can even stretch my legs as I sleep! This thing is really the best!" continued Yuki, not listening to the two's words.

"We managed to get something good, didn't we?" Miki remarked.

"Yep!"

"It's nice that you enjoyed it Yuki-chan, but try to act a bit more modest when Yuuta-kun is awake, won't you?" advised Yuuri. Said Yuuta was currently sprawled on one of the beds, sleeping like he usually does during the day.

"Well, he's asleep currently so we don't have to worry for now," Kurumi picked her shovel and walked towards the window. "That said, I can't believe he actually drove all through last evening and night until dawn. No wonder he dropped dead asleep once he hit the pillows."

"I wonder if he even knows where his destination is," commented Miki.

"I'm sure he knows where he's going," Yuki exclaimed. "He's Yuu-kun after all!" The three girls smiled at her absolute trust in Yuuta. "Anyway, do you suppose this thing's got a bathtub?" She opened a cabinet under the counter in the hopes of finding a bathtub.

"Uh, no, I don't think so…" said Miki.

Yuki sat next to Miki. "As a perfectly mature and grown woman," she puffed her chest out. "It'd be really nice if I can take a bath."

"Well, I do feel like washing up myself," Miki remarked.

"We'd run out of clothes soon if we don't do the laundry, too," informed Yuuri.

Kurumi rubbed her chin as she thinks of a solution to the current problem. Then, she remembered something and took out a piece of paper. "Hey, why don't we go to this place over here?"

The other girls looked at the area on the map where she had pointed. It shows a riverbank that is not so far from their current position.

"We can play in the water and do our laundry at the same time. It's a good idea, don't you think?"

Yuuri mulled over Kurumi's suggestion for a few seconds. However, Yuki immediately raised her hands and supported the idea. "That sounds good, Kurumi-chan! Let's go now!"

"Is it okay, Yuuri-senpai?" Miki turned to her more responsible and sensible upperclassman.

"I suppose we could go there," Yuuri gave her approval. "We're not in a hurry to go anywhere after all."

"Yosh, now time to wake Yuuta up!" rising from her seat, Kurumi pulled Yuki and pushed her towards Yuuta's place of slumber. "Now, Yuki. Wake him up won't you?"

"Ehh… why do I have to do that?" Yuki questioned the order. "Why don't you do it Kurumi-chan?"

Kurumi looked at her with a smirk. "Come on, everyone knows that only you can wake him up when he's dead asleep like that. If I was the one who does it, I may knock him out when he starts shouting. If it's Miki, he won't wake up since her voice is too soft. As for Ri-san, well… surely you don't want a repeat of her embarrassing childlike moment, don't you?" A glance to the person in question revealed her face to have turned dark crimson from being reminded of the event.

Hearing Kurumi's reasonable argument and seeing Yuuri's embarrassed expression, Yuki sighed and walked towards Yuuta's bed. Kneeling down in front of him, she looked at Yuuta's peaceful and serene look, blushing at the thought of being so close to him despite the many times they already did it. Staring at his face, she began to wonder if it's a bad idea to follow Kurumi's order.

"Come on, what are you waiting for? Hurry up!" Kurumi yelled from the table.

"I know!" Yuki replied back. Turning back to Yuuta, she brushed her hair backwards and brought her face close to him. Then, she blew softly into his ear. "Yuu-kun~, please wake up~"

Awake or asleep, when a guy hears the girl he loves say those words with such seduction, there's no way he could resist it. The same goes for Yuuta, as while he does have a good sense of control over his sexual need and not exactly one would call a pervert, the urge was always there. The fact that he's currently thinking about her in his dream doesn't help either.

And so, Yuki found herself being pulled towards Yuuta. His hand on her arm, she tried her best to escape from his strong grip. You couldn't exactly blame Yuuta either since he is still asleep actually and his actions are only his body's response to Yuki's enticing words.

"Yuu-kun, release me! Release me!" screamed Yuki while still struggling away from Yuuta's grasp. She turned towards her friends. "Kurumi-chan, Ri-san, Mii-kun, help me!"

The three persons in question were currently pretending as if they didn't hear her cry for help. Kurumi was whistling with her arms on her back, Yuuri shutting her eyes from the scene and Miki reading the map.

'Those three!' Yuki felt betrayed and played with for her friend's ignorance over her troubles. 'When I'm out of this situation I'll make sure that they never mess with me again!'

With that resolve in her heart, Yuki mustered every ounce of strength that she had in her muscles and pulled back on Yuuta's hand. In a split second, the situation was reversed and it was Yuuta who was on the receiving end of the pulling force. With a final outburst of power and determination, Yuki managed to release her arm from Yuuta's vicelike grip. The result? Yuuta was also pulled along with her arm and fell facedown on the floor. And this is why you don't mess with a maiden in love, they are more fearsome than a normal girl.

"Oww! What happened? Was there an earthquake or something?" Raising his head, Yuuta looked around wildly before his eyes settled on Yuki's face, which had a look of what can only be described as 'pissed off'. Such an expression was uncommon for her face and for the first time, Yuuta was admittedly scared of her.

"Err… Yuki? Is there something wrong?" Even though his voice is clear, his body was trembling before the frightening gaze of the one called Takeya Yuki.

Yuki's response to the question was to give him another more intense death glare, scaring him shitless over such a major difference between the Yuki he thought he know and the one now before him. Immediately, he brought his hand over his head and bowed in front of her.

"I'm sorry if I upset you. Please don't be mad at me!" he said, not daring to lift his face up in fear of her answer.

Seeing Yuuta suddenly acting meekly and weakly before her, Yuki snapped out of her state of rage. 'W-What happened just now?' she asked herself. 'Did I just get angry at Yuu-kun? Whatever got inside me to make me feel like that?' Her gaze softened and returned to her default expression, that is, a slightly confused look that made others think she's an airhead.

Kneeling down on her knees, Yuki taped softly on Yuuta's shoulder, the action surprising him. "You can lift your head now, Yuu-kun," he does as he's told and was met with Yuki's gentle and almost motherly expression that still managed to retain a look of childishness. "You've done nothing wrong. It's my fault actually. Guess I let my emotions get the better of me."

"Is that so," Yuuta breathed in relief. "You scared me for a moment there. It's like a demon was possessing you."

Yuki held her cheeks as the turned red. "I-I'm not that scary, ain't I?"

"Yeah, it kinda was actually," stated Yuuta. "Honestly, I thought I was gonna be dead right then and there. Please don't get angry like that ever again."

Flashing her signature smile, Yuki said to him. "As long as you don't try to cheat on me Yuu-kun, I promise I won't do that again."

Even though the smile was supposed to be angelic, Yuuta could not shake the feeling of unease when he saw it. 'S-She's not going to go yandere on me if I do get close to another girl, right? Right?'

"That said," Turning her head around, she glanced at the three bystanders who were watching the event with such focus. "I can get angry if it's not you, can I, Yuu-kun?"

"Of course you can, I guess…" Yuuta answered quickly in the hopes of escaping Yuki's attention.

"He he, thank you," standing up, she turned around and began walking very slowly towards Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki, her supposed 'friends' who took pleasure in her blunders. Fear started to enter their hearts after Yuki showed them a very disturbing and creepy smile.

"Ah Kurumi-chan~, Ri-san~, Mii-kun~," she said in a playful voice while cracking her knuckles. "Looks like I have to teach you three how serious I can be now that I have Yuu-kun by my side…"

Much violence and lecturing ensued.

* * *

After the previous scene(which had to be cut down due to it's disturbing nature), Yuuta was finally behind the steering wheel again, driving to the riverbank suggested by Kurumi. At first Yuuta wanted to protest over the change of direction but was quickly silenced by Yuki's glare. After that, he decided to just follow her orders without question, lest he become traumatized like the other three girls.

Yuuta sighed as he turned the engine of the RV, having arrived at their destination. "Hey, we're here now."

"Yay!" Yuki shouted her emotion back to being happy. "Now, let's change our clothes and go!"

"I'll go outside then," stepping from his seat, Yuuta went towards his bag and took out his swimming trunks, walking out of the vehicle after that.

While the girls were changing into their swimwear, Yuuta stared at the river in front of him. 'This is a good detour actually. We've been going for days on the road and I'm forced to wear the same clothing for several nights. I'm starting to reek of sweat now that I smelled myself,' squatting down, he picked a pebble and threw it into the water. "If only I've brought more clothes from my house. Such misfortune."

Suddenly, he heard the sound of the door opening behind him. "Change of clothes, complete!" the voice, Yuki obviously, exclaimed. "Let's go!"

"Yeah!" Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki raised their hands in response to Yuki, albeit with less enthusiasm.

"Finally," said Yuuta. "Now hold on while I change, okay?"

"Mmm!" nodded Yuki.

Entering the RV, Yuuta took a minute before he finished changing. Stepping out, he saw that Yuki and Kurumi had already stood in the river, splashing water into each other.

"Those two sure are lively, aren't they?" spoke Yuuri as she approached him.

"They sure are. Well, they're also the most active among us five," Miki remarked.

"Yeah, bit it's nice to see everyone being happy and cheerful, though…" Yuuta paused as he remembered something. "At this time of the year, the waters should be…"

* * *

"HA-CHOO!"

Covering herself with a dry towel, Yuki wiped her nose.

"Seems like the river was rather cold, wasn't it?" Yuuri commented a little distance from her. She then poured hot tea from a kettle into a cup and passed it to her.

"Y-Y-Yes, it-it kinda was…" said Yuki as she accepted the cup while shivering. "Thanks."

"You should take better care of yourself then," Kurumi walked towards them, sitting close to the fire. "With that body of yours, I'm surprised you can last that long in the water."

"K-Kurumi-chan, I-I'm not that weak…" she sneezed again, tightening the towel around her body. "A-Anyway, w-where is Y-Yuu-kun?"

Sitting near the edge of the river with Miki, Yuuta scrubbed his clothes hard before thoroughly washing it with water. "I wonder if this is enough?"

"That's okay, senpai," Miki rubbed on her's and the other girls' clothes. "You're surprisingly good at this."

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?"

Miki giggled. "Yes, yes it was." Turning her attention back to her own chores, she spoke again. "You don't seem to be affected that much by the cold water."

"I'm a guy after all," Yuuta replied. "We tend to be tougher than girls… most of the time."

"Yeah, I know," silence then enveloped the two again. Then, Miki suddenly chuckled, surprising Yuuta.

"What's up?"

"It's been quite some time since we've done something like this, haven't we?"

"Something like this?" Yuuta inquired. "What d'you mean?"

"Everyone having fun and enjoying themselves, laughing around and ending with Yuki-senpai being in trouble resulting in us having to take care of her."

"Ah… that's what you mean." nodded Yuuta. "That's true, though, it's nice to relax like this once in a while."

"And about Yuki-senpai," Miki continued. "Lately, she's become more…"

"More mature?" chuckled her upperclassman.

"Definitely not," remarked Miki in a deadpan manner. "She's 10 years too early to be anything close to being mature." She shook her head. "No… what I meant to say was that she's become more aggressive and persuasive in her actions."

"You mean like before when she lectured you three?" Yuuta smirked.

Miki shuddered as she was reminded of the traumatising experience. "Please don't remind me. But yes, that's a good example of the difference between her from school and her after we left the school."

"Really? I didn't notice the difference," stated Yuuta.

Miki shook her head again. "I think that's because you're too in love with her that you can't acknowledge her other more disturbing personality," she could see Yuuta blushing at the comment. "Anyway, what I want to say is that everything's different now and I don't know if I like it or not."

"I don't think you should worry too much about that matter," Yuuta got up and observed one of his shirts. "Whether we like it or not, as long as we live, changes will always come into our life and we're helpless to control it," he turned to Miki and smiled at her. "So, all we can do is to prepare for the worst and hope for the best, nothing more, nothing less."

Speechless, Miki just stared at the face of her male upperclassman for a few seconds. Then, he turned away and chuckled. "And yet you're still the same as before, senpai."

"Eh, what's that supposed to mean?" inquired Yuuta. Miki doesn't answer him and the two resumed their chore.

* * *

Lying on the roof of the RV, Yuuta stared at the night sky. The girls had already fallen asleep inside the vehicle and he assumes his normal task of keeping watch for any danger during the night. He could had just switched places with Kurumi but he insisted despite the drowsiness that he felt. Thankfully, the group had set up several poles around the RV attached by a string with a bell that would alert Yuuta if any undead ever approaches too close to the vehicle. And so, he was free to rest if only for a little while.

However, he was feeling rather restless this night and rose up, grabbed his sword and hopped down from the roof quietly so as not to wake the girls. Carefully, he stepped over the string protecting their area and walked away from them, into the dark surroundings.

Inside the RV, Miki raised her head from her sleeping place and promptly hit her head on the ceiling. Rubbing her head, she looked out from the window and noticed Yuuta marching alone outside. "Yuuta… senpai?"

Entering a neighbourhood area, Yuuta walked on the road. In front of him, undeads we're all over the street and they shuffled to his direction. However, they didn't approach him. Instead, they just walked past him as if they didn't acknowledge his presence as one of the living.

"Wait…" he spoke but the undeads keep walking. Angry over their disregard of his being, Yuuta snapped.

"Hey! Hold it!"

Hearing the shout, the figures finally turned their heads to face Yuuta. They then began to move towards him, all of them.

"Damn it…" Yuuta realised his mistake and unsheathed his sword, ready to defend himself.

"Senpai!" From his back, Yuuta heard the sound of someone running towards him. Turning around to face the voice, he saw that it was Miki.

"Wait, what are you doing here-"

"I should be the one asking you," Miki cut of Yuuta's sentence. "Why are you out here alone-"

The group of undeads keep getting closer, preventing Miki from finishing her sentence. She took out her own sword and began defending herself from them.

"We'll talk later! Just keep yourself alive for now!" shouted Yuuta as he sliced an undead's head from its body.

* * *

The two battled for some minutes before they managed to get away from the horde. Currently, they're once more at the edge of the riverbank, Yuuta washing his blood-soaked shirt and Miki accompanying him.

Yuuta brought his shirt up to examine it. "Hah… and it was so clean too." He sighed.

Miki glanced over at her upperclassman before reaching out her hands to touch a spot of blood on his cheek. Yuuta winced at the contact but Miki noticed something else, and that is the coldness of his skin. She then remembered the words Yuki said before.

 _"Ne… Yuu-kun, your hand's so cold, you know"_

"The medicine. It didn't work, did it?" she spoke.

Yuuta pushed her hand away from his face. "Don't be silly. Of course, it worked. I wouldn't be here if it didn't."

Miki stayed silent before speaking again. "You can't lie, senpai. Remember what you said? We're a close-knit club, what one of us feel, the others would feel it too, no matter how hard you may try to hide it."

"So you do remember. Well, I just said it yesterday so of course, you do," Yuuta picked his sword and traced his finger along the blade. "But… I don't intend on going anywhere at the moment, so you don't have to worry."

"It's not whether you want it or not!" screamed Miki. "It's not your choice… it was never our choice, to begin with."

Yuuta laughed and Miki lifted her head, unbelieving that he would laugh at such a time. "Are you telling me that I can't fight my own fate?" Miki responded with a nod. "Well, let me tell you what my friends once told me about myself," he smiled and rubbed Miki's hair. "I am Kiriha Yuuta. When the odds are against me, I'll turn the tables around. No matter how tough the situation may be, as long as there's still a soul in my body, I would never give up and die. I'll even return from the death if anyone of you is in danger, especially if it's Yuki. So don't worry too much, we choose our own destiny and not the other way around."

Lifting her hand from Miki's head, Yuuta went back to scrubbing his shirt while Miki touched her head, a blush decorating her face.

"Hey you two!" they turned around when they heard a voice coming from the direction of the RV. It turns out to be Yuki. "What are you two doing here so late in the night?" Yuuta opened his mouth to answer but Yuki suddenly held her cheeks and gasped. "Wait! Yuu-kun… you… you're not cheating on me with Mii-kun are you!?"

Both Yuuta and Mimi choked on their own spit in shock at the accusation. "What? Of course not! What are you thinking, senpai?" Miki objected, but Yuki had turned her back on them and talking to herself.

"Well, Mii-kun is attractive, cool and taller than me, but surely Yuu-kun like girls that are similar to my cute self. Or is it? Maybe secretly, he preferred girls that look boyish and is the silent type. But, that's the opposite of what I am! What am I going to do? When I think of it, they do seem rather close, and the sword that Mii-kun has is a present from him. And its bigger than my necklace. Does that mean, he likes Mii-kun more than me?"

While Yuki was talking rather disturbingly to herself, Yuuta and Miki have stood up and were shaking considerably, afraid of what she would do to them. Anything that they say now would surely only worsen the situation. Finally, Yuki turned back to face the two and the smile that she wore would be enough to scare even the undeads.

"Senpai," Miki call for Yuuta. "Is this a good time to panic?"

"Yes, Miki. This is a good time to panic and run for our lives," replied Yuuta.

"He he… what are you talking about there you two?" Yuki's voice brought their attention back to her. "Yuu-kun… you're not supposed to ignore your cute and precious girlfriend like that for another girl. And you Mii-kun," she looked at Miki through closed eyes. "Taking away other people's boyfriend is a no no," waging her fingers, she reached to her back. "And I'm going to teach you two about that even if I have to beat your body until it bruises," and procured a baseball bat.

Staring at the bat, Yuuta blinked once before he took off running. A second passed before Miki realised what he's doing and ran away too.

"Wait wait!" Yuki shouted cheerfully after the two while swinging the baseball bat dangerously in the air. "You're not going to get away from me! Surrender yourself, Yuu-kun, Mii-kun!"

Woken up by the ruckus outside, Kurumi lifted her body up and parted away the curtains to see what's going on. What she saw was Yuuta and Miki running away frantically from a baseball bat-wielding Yuki. She stared at the scene for five seconds before closing the curtains again and laying back on the bed. 'Just a dream. Time to wake up now.'

* * *

At another place, several kilometers from the five friends, three peoples, a boy and two girls, stood before a burning building. In the darkness of the night, the flames illuminated the sky and showed many humanlike figures burning in the fire. As ashes started to rise from it, the guy placed his hands on the shoulder of his two companions. One of the girls cried loudly while the other covered her face with her hands to hide her tears. Even the boy had a droplet flowing from his left eye.

After a while of weeping, the male put a cap over his red hair and gestured for the two to leave. The girl that also has red hair hugged the other one and placed her hand on her friend's head, the girl who cried loudly. She then wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed the other girl's hand from her blond hair. Walking forward, she followed the red-haired guy who had begun to move.

Shaking her head at her friend's behaviour, the redhead girl took a final glance at the building behind her, hoping to return once again though she knew that it was hopeless. And so, he jogged forward and rushed towards the other two in front of her, as they began another search for shelter, and other peoples

Because for Akazawa Ryuuko, there's nothing more she wanted than to meet with her fellow survivors of this hellish world.

* * *

Another author's note~

Hooray for a quick update! So, how do you like 'em updates? Too fast, or just right? Well, please tell me in your reviews, or if you want to converse, PM me. I may not be able to answer all your questions, but I can offer some tidbits.

Now… a yandere Yuki. Well, you should have seen this coming if you had read the previous chapters and the prequel story. However, do not worry as I will not portray her like this too much, and she'll become somewhat more normal as time goes on, though still a very clingy jealous girl towards Yuuta.

Finally… no comment on the chapter's ending. Stay tuned for further updates if you want to find out. Bye now~

P.S. This story will be rated M for future chapters. Just a heads up.


	4. Chapter 4: Destination, Motive, Sister

Chapter 4 - Destination, Motive, Sister

Sitting on the couch, Yuuri and Miki stared through the window at the road outside. Once in a while they would see a leaf fluttering by the window before blowing off to somewhere else. The scene was full of tranquility, not broken even by Yuki and Yuuta's constant chatting at the front.

"Miki-san, what's the matter?" Yuuri asked after she observed that Miki was staring blankly at the window, though to be fair, she was also doing the same thing.

"Ah, nothing. It's just that I had a scary dream last night and couldn't get enough sleep as a result," informed Miki.

Yuuri was feeling slightly curious when she heard that. "Really, what could that dream be about, may I ask?" The response she received was a shudder on Miki's part. "Could it be related to Yuki-chan by any chance?"

"Yes, it is," Miki glanced at the said person. It had been three nights since Yuki's debut as an ax-crazy girl on that night where she chased her and Yuuta with a baseball bat while wearing a very creepy smile. Thankfully, she was calmed down when Yuuta gave her a tight hug which brought her out of the condition and no one was hurt. Well, physically at least. The mind of the three girls who was subject to her scolding was still fully not over the matter, especially Miki. The nightmare she had last night was a reminder for her to not bring that side of Yuki again lest she pays it with her own sanity. And so, she purposefully tried to avoid being too close to Yuuta at all times, even if the action hurts her chest a little. "But, I'm just glad that she's back to normal… well as normal as she can be anyway."

"I know what you mean," Kurumi joined the two on the couch after finishing her 'business' in the toilet. "It's really scary how she turns out to be so clingy to Yuuta after they realised they like each other. Well, she's pretty clingy before too so it's not that unexpected. But still, please remind me next time not to piss her off again."

"Hmm hmm, I see you three have learned your lessons," another voice entered their conversation. "Thanks to that I can finally have some peaceful moments with Yuu-kun."

The three girls were understandably shocked and alerted at the appearance of the owner of said voice. "Woah, Yuki! What're you doing here?"

"Y-Yuki-senpai, please don't surprise us like that again, please," Miki was visibly shaken by Yuki's sudden arrival. "It's really bad for my heart."

Yuki scratched her head and smiled. "Hehe, sorry sorry. I didn't intend on sneaking actually."

"That said Yuki-chan, should you really be here?" She gave a perplexed look upon hearing Yuuri's question.

"What do you mean, Ri-san?"

"I mean, weren't you just in front with Yuuta-kun?" Yuki nodded. "And weren't you chatting with him to keep him from falling asleep while driving?"

"Oh, right. I forgot…" right after Yuki uttered those words, the RV suddenly swerves to the right then left before braking to a halt. The girls screamed a little when the event happened.

Waking up from his blunder, Yuuta rubbed his weary eyes. "Huh? Did something happened?" He looked to the back and noticed that the four passengers were all on the floor, crumpled into a clump. "What are you all doing down there?"

Kurumi was the first to get on her feet and immediately she marched angrily towards Yuuta. "All right, that's enough!" She snatched Yuuta's hands away from the steering wheel. "You need to sleep Yuuta, and I mean now! Get your butt off the driver's seat and let me drive next."

"Ehh… I can still go on, you know…" said Yuuta while closing his mouth. "I'm totally not feeling drowsy."

An anger vein appeared on Kurumi's forehead and she turned around. "Hey, Yuki! Come here and talk some sense into your boyfriend's skull won't you!"

Yuki was currently helping Yuuri to stand right back up when Kurumi called for her assistance. "I'll be there soon, Kurumi-chan!"

Hearing the reply, Kurumi got closer to Yuuta and spoke to him in a whisper. "Look Yuuta, if you don't remove yourself from that seat before Yuki gets here, which is approximately ten seconds, I'll make it as though I'm kissing you and bring out her yandere side again where she'll force you to rest by hitting you so hard that you will pass out for several hours. If you don't want that to happen, get your tired ass away from that chair and let me take the wheel, now."

Sleepy though that he was, Yuuta recognised the threat and the danger that could potentially befall him. And so, very quickly he got up from the seat where he'd been sitting for hours and retreated behind Kurumi. "Okay okay, I'll get up now. Just… please don't joke like that again."

"It's not a joke, you know," Kurumi stated quietly before Yuki arrived in front of the two. "Ah, Yuki. Looks like he's not in the seat now so I don't need your help. Thanks for coming over though. Now take him away from here."

"Roger that!" Yuki then proceeded to pull Yuuta arm towards the back of the RV. Sitting on a couch from across Yuuri and Miki, she patted the space next to her. "Come now, Yuu-kun."

Yuuta walked towards the seat and plopped himself down. Unfortunately, the couch was rather hard for his body and the feeling of stiffness in his neck and body still lingers. "It really hurts when you suddenly moved from one seat to another," he remarked while massaging his shoulders.

"That's because you've been sitting at the front for hours, senpai," stated Miki. "Of course your body would feel uncomfortable."

"Miki-san's right," added Yuuri. "You must take care of your physical and mental health, too. I understand your concern for our wellbeing but you should pay more attention to yourself before taking care of other peoples."

"Gee, thanks for the advice, Ri-san. I'll be sure to follow it… if I can remember that is," Yuuta closed his eyes and leant on the couch as Yuuri glared at him. "I kinda want to sleep in the bed now, but I doubt I'll be getting a peaceful sleep with Kurumi driving the RV."

"Hey! What d'you mean by that?!" Kurumi turned her head to the back. "I bet my driving is better than yours. Just you see, I'll get us to our destination in just a day!"

Still with his eyes closed, Yuuta sighed. "That's what I'm worried about."

"Kurumi-senpai, please drive normally," Miki pleaded. "I don't know about you but I don't want this vehicle to crash into some lamppost or a wall."

"Ah… okay okay. I'll make sure to be careful when driving," complied Kurumi with her underclassman's request. "Just let me familiarise myself first with this thing."

Lifting his head from the couch, Yuuta massaged his neck. "This is really uncomfortable. I may just lay on the bed after all."

"Ne… Yuu-kun," spoke Yuki to capture Yuuta's attention. He turned his head and saw her blushing at him. "If you want, you can… use my lap to rest your head."

Yuuta was shocked, unbelieving that Yuki would suggest something like that. "A-Are… Are you sure?" The response he got was a meek nod.

"What are you two being shy for?" Miki voiced from across the middle lane. "You've done it before, right? What's the matter with doing it again, now that you're lovers."

"T-That time's just an accident, I swear it was!" with a red face, Yuuta realised something. "Wait… how did you two know about that anyway?"

A giggle was heard from beside Miki. "My my, surely you don't think I'm not aware of the actions of my club members, do you Yuuta-kun?" smiling, Yuuri added. "Plus, Miki-san's right. You don't have to be so shy around us. We understand that you two are lovers and need to fulfill your… what do you call it… ah, sexual urges. It's normal for young couples to feel like that so don't worry."

Yuuta was blushing like mad at this point and so was Yuki. Both were understandably embarrassed that their club president can talk about such mature matters involving them with ease. Slowly, things that never crossed Yuuta's mind began to enter his brain, threatening to ruin the pure mentality that he's always a little proud off. Vehemently, he shook his head to clear away those, *ehem, dirty thoughts from his mind. Glancing to the left, he could see that Yuki was also having the same look as him, probably thinking about the same thing.

"Y-Yuu-kun…"

"Hai!" Yuuta spontaneously screamed a little too loud when Yuki said his name. "W-What is it, Yuki?"

"Y-You can rest your head on my lap, but you're absolutely not allowed to do anything else that is perverted, okay?"

Nodding, Yuuta steeled himself and slowly lowered his head onto the direction of Yuki's lap. Meanwhile, Yuki cleared any dust on her skirt and readies her mind for the impact.

"That said," Yuuri spoke again and the two lovebirds stopped their movement. "Please refrain from doing these kinds of things when in front of someone younger than you."

A glance to the side revealed that Miki was watching the scene thoroughly with wide, focused eyes. There's also a trickle of blood coming from her nose that was hard to see due to her red face. Upon realising that she's been noticed, she coughed and quickly averted her gaze from the two.

The blush on Yuki's face increased and she began to feel the resolve she had for doing this earlier to falter. Yuuta however, threw his arms in the air in frustration.

"Ah, whatever will be, let it be. I don't care anymore," he then promptly lowered his head and landed on Yuki's lap.

"Eh, Y-Yuu-kun?" Yuki panicked at his sudden movement.

"Shh…" Yuuta placed his index finger in front of his lips. "I'm trying to sleep here."

Yuki was visibly confused and still embarrassed, but after several seconds she began to relax her body and let Yuuta use her lap as a pillow. Raising her left hand, she stroked Yuuta's hair, caressing his features and letting him rest.

"By the way, Yuuta," Kurumi glanced to the back as she held the steering wheel. "Where're we going actually?"

"We're going to Randall Corporation!" informed Yuki cheerfully.

"Oh, okay," Kurumi started the vehicle's engines and started driving… before she hit the brakes and stopped the car abruptly. "Wait, what?!"

Yuuri turned to Yuki and asked her. "Yuki-chan, why are we going to Randall Corporation?"

"I don't know!" Yuki exclaimed as innocently as possible. It's hard to get mad at her when she had that expression.

"Senpai," unfortunately for her, those expressions doesn't seem to affect Miki as she proceeded to pinch her cheeks. "Stop playing dumb and talk."

"Ow… that hurts Mii-kun," she pouted after Miki pulled back her hands. "And I'm not the one driving, right? It's Yuu-kun."

"Then how did you know he's going there?" Yuuri inquired.

Yuki puffed her chest out before answering. "Because I'm his girlfriend, that's why." The others looked at her incredulously and she rubbed her head sheepishly. "Hehehe, actually it's because I always looked at the map and kinda memorise the ways to get there. That's how I recognised where Yuu-kun is taking us."

"And you don't ask him why or inform us because…?"

"W-Well, I know for sure Yuu-kun got his own reasons for heading to that place," Yuki replied to Kurumi. "As for why I didn't tell you guys… it's because I forgot. Teehee~" she said in a cutesy manner and sticking out her tongue.

The three girls sighed at her behaviour. "Yuki-chan, please don't forget important matters like this again."

"Sorry sorry, Ri-san," apologised Yuki with a still cheery voice.

"That said, why do you think Yuuta-senpai wants to go there first?" Miki questioned.

"Ah, why don't we just ask the guy himself," standing up, Kurumi went to the seats and stood before Yuuta. "Hey, Yuuta. I know you're still awake so answer our question. Why do you want to go to Randall Corporation?"

While it is true that Yuuta was still awake, he displayed no reaction that indicates he heard Kurumi's question. 'How rude. First, she asked me to sleep. Now, she wants me to wake up again. No way am I going to,' he thought.

"Huh, what a pain," Kurumi rubbed her head in frustration over Yuuta's reluctance to comply with their request. "Oi, at least say something to defend your decision." Still no reply, so Kurumi walked back to the front. "If that's what you want," she started the vehicle's engines again. "Miki, mind coming here? Can ya guide me back to where we came from so we can change course to St. Isadore's College?"

"Wait!" Miki was just about to stand up before a voice screamed from a little distance towards her left. "I'll talk, I'll talk, just… please don't take a detour right now."

Kurumi grinned at the success of her plan. "So, why don't ya tell us right now your reason for going to that company first instead of the college where we pretty much settled with before leaving the school?"

"Well, actually…" Yuuta scratched his head as he tried finding a suitable answer. 'What do I tell them? That I believe there's a small chance that my father's still alive? No way. That would just come out selfish. But, there's really no other big reason for me to go there first, isn't there? After all, you usually go to college first to further you studies before entering a company to work. Wait, studies… yes, if I use this excuse I may just be able to pull it off.' And so, as he prepared his words, Yuuta turned to the four girls.

"Ehem, ehem," he coughed a little. "Well, obviously it's because I want to do a job survey."

"Huh? A job survey?" The other club members repeated the words in confusion. "What the heck's that supposed to mean?" Kurumi asked.

Yuuta smiled as he felt that his on-the-spot excuse might work after all. "Basically, I want to see what types of qualifications are required to work there. Once I know, when we get to the college I can choose what course I will take that meets those qualifications, thereby making it easy for me to get a job there once I got out of college."

"That's really amazing, Yuuta-kun," Yuuri appraised him.

"Looks like you can think that far ahead huh, senpai," the comment made by Miki hurt his heart a little.

Kurumi rubbed her chin as she mulled over the reason Yuuta has given her. "Ehh… you're surprisingly right about that stuff. Maybe we should head there first and find out how does working in real life actually looks like. It couldn't hurt to check."

'Yes!' Yuuta cheered inwardly over his victory in convincing the other members. 'Maybe I really do have a knack for manipulating other peoples,' he then turned to his left and saw Yuki smiling at him. Somehow, it unnerved him, but not in a bad way.

"Yosh! Let's go there then!" Kurumi pumped her fist into the air and went back, for the third time that morning, to the driver's seat. "Hey, can anyone be my guide to that place? I'm not actually good at reading the map."

Miki raised her hand. "I'll help you out, senpai." Marching to the front, she took out the map from the front drawer and started giving instructions to Kurumi.

As the car began moving to it's destination, Yuuta once again lowered his body and lay his head on Yuki's lap. 'If we keep going like this, we should arrive there tomorrow morning. Then… we'll find out if there's anyone alive in there, and if there are, whether my dad is one of them.' Opening his eyelids, he noticed Yuki still giving him that smile from before, so he decided to ask her about it. "Yuki, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Why?" Yuki looked confused for a second about his question before smiling back and lowered his head until it was just above Yuuta's ear. Then, she whispered. "Because I know you're hiding something from us."

Yuuta was shocked to hear her answer, so much that he considered mishearing it. However, Yuki spoke again that confirmed his hearing is clear. "That's not the real reason for you going to Randall Corporation, isn't it, Yuu-kun?"

"O-Of course it is," softly, Yuuta defended himself. "Can't you trust me a bit, Yuki?"

Yuki shook his head. "No, since occasionally you would lie and make fun of us."

'Can't blame her for that…' Yuuta cried inwardly. "I promise to tell you later when we arrive, is that okay to you?"

"And make sure you tell the others too," Yuuta responded with a nod. "Then, it's fine by me."

Bringing his hand to his forehead, Yuuta sighed. 'Who would ever think that she of all people would see through my lies. Maybe this is one of the disadvantages of being in love with someone. Just as you can feel what they're feeling, they can also read your heart easily than other peoples.'

The rest of the journey then passed quietly with some chatting between the girls while Yuuta still rested his head on Yuki's lap.

* * *

"We'll stop here for tonight," Kurumi spoke as she turned off the RV's engine.

It was currently night outside and the vehicle is parked outside a chain of stores. There were also just a couple of undeads on the road and that's why they chose to stop at the place.

"Good work," remarked Miki to the driver. "There's just some more road for us to cover and then we'll be there."

Yuuri stood up and pulled out the blankets from the cabinets. "It might be too early but… should we hit the bed for today?"

"Don't see why not. I'm beat after all," Kurumi yawned to emphasis her point. "You should wake Yuuta up first, though."

Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki turned to Yuuta, whose head is still laying on Yuki's lap. A serene look on his face, though if one looked close enough you could see the edge of his mouth lifted upwards slightly as if he's grinning.

"Yuki, would you do the honours?"

"Okay, Kurumi-chan!" Yuki lifted her hand up in the air… and then bringing them down to Yuuta's face.

"Oww!" As expected, Yuuta touched his face and fell down the seat as he did so. "What the hell was that for?!"

"We're actually trying different methods that can effectively wake you up," Miki informed him. "Looks like slapping you on the face does work," she wrote in a paper she just took out. "Next, let's see if poking his eyes have any effects."

Yuuta stared at the with wide, unbelieving eyes. "You're all kidding, right?"

The girls looked at him seriously at first before Miki laughed which is joined by the others. "Sorry, senpai. It's just too good of a chance to let go."

Getting up from the floor, Yuuta sighed before replying. "Guess I can't blame you all. I've always trolled around with you guys so I at least deserved to be on the receiving end, again, this time."

"Then, can you please keep a watch outside for us, Yuuta-kun?" requested Yuuri. "Just be careful not to wander off too far."

"I'm not a kid, Ri-san," Yuuta laughed at her concern. "I can take care of myself just fine, I believe." Grabbing his sword, he approached the door. "You all rest now and don't worry about me."

And with that, he exited the vehicle.

* * *

"I wonder if I can find anything useful in here?"

Yuuta was currently inside one of the stores in the area, cautiously looking inside the interior and checking for anything worth seeing.

"Oh! This looks nice!" exclaimed him as he pressed his face against a glass cabinet. The store he's currently in is, was, a jewellery store by the way.

"Sadly, there's only a handful of these things left in here. Well, even in a world like this humans still want something beautiful," wistfully, he touched the pendant over his chest. "That includes me too I suppose."

Moving along the display cabinet, Yuuta observed what little jewelry were left inside them. He contemplated on taking some of them which he thinks were pretty as a present for the girls but decided against it. Reason included that they would probably not accept them or being a hindrance to take care of. 'Also, I don't exactly know what their preferences are for these things, and I'm not really great with judging one's character.'

His hands sliding over the glass, his eyes wandered around the interior, looking for any signs of undeads. He found none, of course. 'Maybe they're afraid of gold and silver? Well, if that's true then maybe I should take some of these with me.' He didn't actually take that theory seriously, however.

Suddenly, his feet touched something on the floor. Perplexed, he crouched down and picked the item. It turns out to be a box, more specifically a box that contains in it a ring, the ones that you usually see whenever a guy proposes to a girl.

Feeling a little bit curious, Yuuta opened the box. Contained inside it were two rings, one coloured pink with small purple-coloured diamonds placed on it while the other was blue-coloured with three glistening stones placed on one side of the ring which was black, white and gold respectively.

For a minute, Yuuta just stared at the two rings, admiring their beauty and uniqueness, especially the second one. Seriously, who would make a ring like that anyway?

"They're… they're beautiful," he spoke after he was brought back to reality. "I'm definitely taking these with me." With that said, Yuuta pocketed the box and walked out of the store.

Ignoring his weird taste in beauty, one must wonder what purpose Yuuta need the rings anyway.

* * *

Marching back to the RV while cheerfully humming to himself, Yuuta spotted someone just outside the vehicle. Coming closer, the figure revealed itself to be just Yuuri, sitting on the ground with her face concealed by her legs.

"Ri-san, what're you doing here?" asked Yuuta after he was right in front of her.

Yuuri immediately lifted her head up and smiled at him. "Ah, Yuuta-kun, where did you go? I went outside and noticed you're nowhere to be seen."

"Sorry about that," Yuuta rubbed his head sheepishly. "I got into some stores to see if there's anything interesting that we can take. I didn't find anything good, though," he touched the box in his pocket subconsciously.

"Didn't I say not to wander too far from us," Yuuta was chastised by Yuuri. "I was getting worried, you know."

"Hai. I, Kiriha Yuuta, promise not to do it again," he bowed slightly to her. "So don't worry, you can go back inside now."

Yuuri shook her head. "Thanks, but I think I want to stay here for a while before getting inside again."

"I see. Then, do you mind if I sit here?" A nod was her answer and so Yuuta lowered himself and sat a little distance from Yuuri.

For several moments, the silence of the night atmosphere reigned between them. Both looked at the sight in front of them, that is, one of loneliness and quietness. Not a single sound was heard nor there was any movement from a living being.

The silence was eventually broken by, surprisingly, Yuuri.

"Yuuta-kun, do you have any siblings?"

Yuuta turned his head to face her, perplexed over the suddenness and randomness of the question. "What's the matter, Ri-san? Suddenly asking me a question."

Smiling, Yuuri replied. "I just want to make some small talk, that's all. It's too quiet right now."

"Ah, that's definitely true," Yuuta leant back on the RV. "And to answer your question, yes, I do have a sibling. Just one, though, a younger sister by the name of Kiriha Ruiko."

"Ruiko… that's a beautiful name," commented Yuuri. "Where is she now?"

Yuuta's mood darkens a bit before he responded. "She… I left her at my home, along with my mother."

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Yuuri realised the sensitiveness of the subject. "I didn't mean to make you remember. I'll stop asking if you feel uncomfortable."

"No no, it's okay," Yuuta shook his head. "You don't have to feel bad about asking me. I… I don't really feel depressed anymore." Even if his voice was clear, Yuuri could still sense a tone of sadness in it. "And I never really regretted anything that has happened, and I hope they feel the same way too."

Yuuri wanted to comfort him but she didn't actually know what to do aside from embracing him to calm him down. But than Yuki would very likely kill her if she ever found out about it. So, she decided to steer her question to a less sensitive one.

"Would you mind telling me more about her?"

Yuuta broke out of his depressment at the question and turned to face her. Then, he smiled. "Yes, of course. Now let's see, where do I start?" Yuuta thought for a little while before speaking again. "Well, Ruiko's a pretty girl, that's I'm sure off. She's got long black hair which she sometimes place atop it a flowery hairband and bright green eyes, sparkling like emerald. She's also a very friendly person, able to make friends with nearly everyone that she meets. Like she once said, 'I'm everybody's friend!'. In school, she's one of the more than average student in academics despite never taking education seriously. In sports too, not many girls of her age can defeat her in terms of athletics. She's also, if what I heard from her friends were correct, very popular among her peers due to all the traits mentioned above. Especially among the guys."

Yuuri took in all the information with focus, as Yuuta never really talks much about his history and family. "She sounds like an almost perfect girl."

"I've got to agree with you there, she is almost perfect. Which makes me wonder how can she become my little sister," Yuuta stared at the road in front with empty eyes. "Me, who's just a normal guy, living life more-or-less normally, lazy, cynical, clumsy and doesn't have any special redeeming traits, got a little sister who's good in everything that she wants to do, beautiful, friendly, cheerful, energetic and always lifting other people's spirits up," he covered his eyes. "I don't really think I deserved to have her, but at the same time I'm also grateful that's she's my little sister. She showed me optimism, urged me to enjoy life and loved me to bits," Yuuta smiled as he remembers the memories he had with his little sister. "You could say that she's sorta like a predecessor to Yuki in the quest to teach me about the beauty of the world and humanity." Standing at the backside of the RV, a figure opened her mouth in shock before closing it back and forming a smile.

"You do love her, don't you, Yuuta-kun?" Yuuri questioned.

"Yes, yes I do, and the only time I really said it was once when she's almost deathly sick in bed," pausing for a moment to take a breath, he continued. "She's just five at the time, and somehow got a very high fever that I couldn't touch her forehead due to how hot it was. For several weeks, her temperature continued to rise slowly and large amounts of sweat were dripping from her body. The doctors said that they didn't know the cause of the illness and no medicines seem to cure her. I remember that time, my mother would cry day and night when she's not taking care of her and my father had this look on his face that seemed to indicate that he's angry at himself for reasons that I never found out. Then, one night, after almost a month of Ruiko being in bed, I sneaked into her room when my parents were asleep and sat beside her. Gripping her small hands, I proceeded to tell her everything that I know about, whether it is languages, maths, science, philosophy, religion, sports, history, martial arts and quite literally any random trivia that I know. I don't know why I told her all those things myself, maybe I want to motivate her to keep living, or maybe I just want a chance to converse with her before she potentially leave the world for good. Anyway, I stayed by her side all through the night until I couldn't stay awake anymore. Before I passed out to sleep, the last thing that I said was 'I love you, little sis' and down I went. The next morning, I was surprised to see her already up and jumping on the bed. My parents were surprised as with the doctors, who proclaimed that it was 'a miracle' to return to full health at such a speed. I never really believed in miracles, but when I saw her smiling and being cheerful, I found out that I couldn't care less about it," Yuuta then turned his head to Yuuri. "So, how about you, Ri-san? I'm sure you have siblings too judging from your personality."

"Huh?" exclaimed Yuuri in shock. She's actually been paying such attention to Yuuta's story that she forgot where they were. It took her a few seconds before she recognised the question and a few more before she responded. "Ah, yes. I do have one, a little sister too. I'm sorry Yuuta-kun, I was listening to your story that I forgot that I'm here."

"I knew it! You're a big sister after all!" Yuuta suddenly cheered. "And it's no big deal, Ri-san. I'm aware that I speak too long on some rare instances. Now, what can you tell me about your little sister?"

Yuuri took a deep breath before she started. "Her name is Yuuru, but I always call her Ruu-chan. She was so small… everytime we went for a walk, she would get lost right away. I'd go green in the face looking for her. I then found her the next street over, all because her favourite hat blew in the wind and she just kept on running after it," Yuuta nodded and she continued. "She's also a lot like Yuki-chan, playful, childish, immature, brings trouble and clumsy." Five metaphorical arrows struck the figure listening to their conversation. "At least before she met you."

"Is that a compliment?" the answer he get was a smile. "Anyway, isn't it nice that we see our own sister in her."

"But, I forget her…" Yuuri spoke in a low voice. "I forgot all about her until recently. I'm not like you, Yuuta-kun. You still remember your little sister. But I… I completely forgot everything about her and started treating Yuki-chan as if she's really Ruu-chan so that I wouldn't have to think about her!" she began grabbing her head as tears formed in her eyes. "I'm horrible, a terrible big sister, to just forget about her and selfishly thinking about myself. How could I even do such a thing!?"

Yuuri bawled her eyes until she felt an object hit her head. "Baka." She lifted her head to see Yuuta staring at him with his sword held out. "Why would you blame yourself for that?"

"B-But I…"

"Forget about her? Don't be silly, Ri-san," Yuuta shook his head. "Everyone forgets things sometimes, even important ones that shouldn't be forgotten. You being selfish? What chances could you have to save her if you don't even have what it takes to care for yourself?" Smiling, he touched Yuuri's head. "You've done all that you can for this club, Ri-san. Be proud of yourself, for you've saved other peoples who owe their life to you, including me. A lose of life can't be recovered, but a still ongoing life can be led to make more life. Remember that Ri-san, for you carry inside your heart not just your life, but also the life of many other peoples through your memories of them," Yuuta crouched down and looked at her straight in the eyes. "So don't regret what had ever happened and live, if not for yourself then for the others who live inside you."

A warm and fuzzy feeling spread inside Yuuri's chest at Yuuta's words. She felt his hand on her head, warm and comfortable in the chilly night air. Spontaneously, her face began to turn mad red as she realised the very close distance between her face and Yuuta's.

Suddenly, Yuuri stood up, surprising Yuuta and causing him to move backwards a little. "I-I think I need to go to bed now. G-Goodnight, Yuuta-kun," then, she quickly ran into the RV, leaving Yuuta perplexed about her actions.

"What's wrong with her all of a sudden?" Yuuta scratched his head in confusion. "Well, I guess that means I have to go back to patrolling."

Walking to the back of the vehicle, Yuuta passed something but kept marching forward… before he abruptly stopped. Slowly, he turned his head around as he recognised what, or who, it is that he just passed, sweating bullets as he did so.

"Hello, Yuu-kun," At the back of the vehicle, smiling too sweetly that it would terrify many people, was Yuki with her arms folded in front of her chest. "The night is sure cold today, huh?"

Yuuta trembled in fear as he gave he spoke to her. "Y-Y-Yuki? W-What are you doing out here?"

"Ah, I just thought that I want to see the moon, maybe some stars if the sky is clear, but I definitely did not expect to see my boyfriend hanging around closely with another girl," a smug grin decorated her face. "Now, how should I punish you this time?"

"Y-You heard everything?" asked Yuuta.

Yuki smiled. "Yes, _everything_ ," but then the smile faltered and her face darkened. "Everything." She tried to smile again but it didn't manage to come out. "Yuu-kun…"

"Yuki?" Yuuta said before Yuki suddenly surged forward and hugged him. "W-Wait, what happened Yuki?"

"You've suffered much, haven't you," To say that the words which came out of Yuki's mouth shocked Yuuta was an understatement. He was stunned. "But don't worry, I'm here for you. If you want to cry, you can cry to me. If you want to talk, I'm also here for you. Just, don't be sad all the time, okay?"

Yuuta patted Yuki on the head. Inwardly, he understood why she reacted like this. Everyone would always act like this when they heard of someone they know losing their family members. But he's different. He's been through the stage of depression for many times over the past few months that he couldn't stay sad about it anymore. While it's true that Ruiko is important to him, there's someone of equal importance right here with him at the moment, one who he had promised to himself and the world to protect and prevent from getting the same fate as her mother and little sister.

"I'm fine, Yuki," Yuuta reassured her of his state of feelings. "I want to remember the past, but I also want to think of the future. It's important to find balance in matters like this."

"Are you sure?" she inquired, lifting her face a little.

"Yes I'm sure, Yuuta nodded, then he proceeded to kiss her… on the lips. "See? I'm all right now." It took five seconds before he realised his action. "Wait, did I just…"

"Hauuu…" Yuki collapsed in Yuuta's arms, her face red as a tomato.

Yuuta shook her body as he tried to bring Yuki back to consciousness. "Hey, Yuki. Wake up. I don't know what came over me. Wake up!"

* * *

A few minutes passed before Yuki finally snapped back from the shock of Yuuta's kiss. The two were currently sitting on the ground, wrapped in a blanket that Yuuta had brought from the RV. Their bodies near each other, sharing the warmth given by their partner and holding hands. In other words, they're cuddling.

"This feels a lot better than sleeping on your lap," remarked Yuuta as he looked to his side. "How do you feel, Yuki? Okay yet?"

Yuki nodded to his question. "Yes, it's really comfortable here, but don't do that so suddenly again!" She then hit Yuuta lightly with her right hand. "I don't like it when you're the one who initiates it."

"Wha…" Yuuta gasped in mock surprise. "Yuki… I never thought you'd be so bold. Could it be that I'm corrupting your pureness? Maybe I should move away from you a little…"

Before he could pretend to move away however, Yuki gripped his right hand, the one which they're linked with, _hard_. "You're not going anywhere, Yuu-kun. Stay here."

"Hai," replied Yuuta monotonously.

Watching the stars and the half-full moon on the night's sky, Yuki remembered something she wants to ask Yuuta before. "Ne, Yuu-kun," Yuuta turned his head to face her. "Would you mind telling me more about Ruiko-chan?"

Yuuta was perplexed at the sudden change of subject but smiled a second later. "Of course. You know, the both of you behaves exactly the same when around me. If it weren't for your hair and hat, I would've mistaken you for her from the get-go."

"I see," nodded Yuki. "So, how old is she?"

"Well, I'm eighteen this year so that means that she's thirteen, the same as my two friend's sister."

Somehow, the statement disturbed Yuki. "Yuu-kun, do you mean that I look like a first year in middle school?"

"Well, when you said that…" Yuuta's gaze landed on Yuki's chest. "You do look like one. But even then, I know that Ruiko has a bigger chest than you."

A fist met Yuuta's face after he uttered those words. "Yuu-kun, you pervert! Where were you looking!" Yuki immediately covered her chest. She then glared at him. "Just you wait! When I grow up I'll be a beautiful and more mature-looking woman, just like Megu-nee."

"Hai hai," rubbing his head, Yuuta sighed before opening his mouth again. "So, wanna hear the rest of the story?"

This brought Yuki back to smiling. "Yes please!"

All night, Yuuta proceeded to tell Yuki about his sister and his childhood with only the stars and the half-moon illuminating them.


	5. Chapter 5: Truth of the Legend

Chapter 5 - Truth of the Legend

"We're here."

Stopping the RV, Kurumi informed the passengers. Glancing to the back, she saw Yuuri reading a book(from a bookstore they visited earlier that morning), Miki cleaning her sword with a cloth, Yuki eating snacks('damn her for not sharing!') and Yuuta miraculously still awake, listening to his mp3 player(maybe she could see if he can lend her that thing).

"Are we?" Yuuri asked her. "You sure this is the place, Kurumi?"

"Yes Ri-san, I'm sure," she held a piece of paper in the air. "According to these directions that Miki gave me, we should be right outside the place."

Yuuri turned to Miki. "If Kurumi-senpai really follows those directions that I wrote for her, then we have arrived. Unless she made a wrong turn somehow," she snickered.

"Why you…!"

"Let's go out and check for ourselves whether this is the right place," Yuuta ignored Kurumi's anger and rise from his seat. "It's better than just sitting here."

Yuki followed her boyfriend's action and pumped her fist into the air. "Yeah, let's go!"

"Yeah yeah, just wait a second," Kurumi stood up and grabbed the shovel beside her. "Bring your sword too, Miki. We don't know what awaits us."

"Hai!" Sheathing the blade back into its scabbard, Miki also removed herself from the chair. "Do we need someone to watch the RV?"

"I think it may be better if we all go together," Yuuri answered. "If there is anyone alive in there, we don't want them to have a bad impression of us for not fully introducing every one of our members. It might make them suspicious of our intentions."

Yuki suddenly shouted. "Of course! It's much better if we're all together. Right, Yuu-kun?"

It took 10 seconds before Yuuta responded to Yuki's question. "Ah, yes, Yuki. Anything you say."

"Geez… what's wrong with you, Yuuta? You're being weirdly distant all through the morning. It's like there's something very big in your mind," Kurumi peered closer to him. "Cheer up! You're the one who suggests we go to this place first, right?"

"Sorry, it's just that…" Yuuta rubbed the back of his head. "I'm starting to have second guesses about this thing. What if the qualifications to get a job here is harder than what I can handle? What if there's no suitable job that I can do? What if the workplace is not friendly? Doubts are really forming in my mind." Of course, that is not the true source of his problems. The real source is the question whether he will meet his father alive (and not undead) in this place. If his father really is still alive and well, what should he do? Surely there are other people in the place, maybe more than in the school(okay, definitely more than five) and there's a high probability that the majority of them are adults. And if that is true, they might not be safe. While he's sure that his father works(well, once worked) here and being the son of an employee may grant him admittance, the same could not be said about the four girls. They're just normal high school girls after all(okay, normal high school graduates) and no connection to the company or its workers. While he's mostly certain that no one inside would resort to killing, there's a very low chance that the girls would come out unscathed. Worst case scenario, all of them might be shot the moment they entered the building. 'Well, I pray that will not happen now'.

"Yuu-kun…" A tug on his sleeve brought him out of his pondering. As always, it's caused by Yuki. "Mou… you're thinking hard again. What's actually in your mind, anyway?"

Yuuta once again scratched his head in embarrassment. "Sorry sorry. It's nothing-" A sharp tug on the shirt pulled Yuuta down to Yuki's eye level.

"Yuu-kun, what did you promise me yesterday?" Staring straight into his eyes, Yuki reminded Yuuta of what he said the morning before. "You promised to tell me and everyone your real purpose once we get here, isn't that so?"

"Ah…" Yuuta was slightly panicking in Yuki's grasp. He didn't expect her to actually remember what he said yesterday plus he never meant it, it's just so she would let him rest in peace. "Err… I…"

"Hey, what're you two doing?" Kurumi interrupted them. "You two flirting or something? If so, then do it after we check out the place and not before."

Yuki's face flushed red as she actually understood what Kurumi was saying. "I-It's not like that, Kurumi-chan. I-I'm just asking Yuu-kun to tell us the real reason for him leading us here."

"What?!" For the second day in a row, Kurumi shouted at Yuki's words. Miki and Yuuri meanwhile just gasped and covered their mouths. "What d'you mean the real reason for leading us here? Hey Yuuta, what's the meaning of this?"

Seeing Kurumi glaring at him, Yuki smirking and the other two girls sending him suspicious looks, Yuuta sighed and decided to let them now on his true purpose. "All right, all right, I'll tell you all. Gather around, for I don't really want to waste any more time here."

Still unsure of his intentions, the girls let Yuuta sit and explain his reasons to them while they stand around him, basically blocking any path for him to escape. Unless he wants to crash through the window, which is hardly a great idea. Kurumi and Miki also made sure to have their weapons in their hands while Yuki was holding Yuuta's sword.

"Okay, so it started out like this…"

* * *

"So that's your real reason?"

Yuuta nodded to Kurumi's question. "You want to go this place first because your father works here and there might be a chance that he's still alive and you want to meet him?"

"I'm sorry for withholding this information from you guys but I just don't want to appear selfish or anything." The girls were quiet for a moment before Kurumi started giggling, followed by the other three.

"Selfish? That's ridiculous!" said Kurumi while still giggling.

"Geez… senpai. Why would you ever think we would see you like that?" Miki remarked. "If anything, you only served to make yourself more suspicious to us."

"That's right," Yuuri spoke. "You never have to worry about us. We're all in the same club. If you have any problems you should have just said so."

"Yuu-kun," A hand landed on Yuuta's head. In front of him was Yuki, a smile on her face. "Just as you'd go anywhere with us, we'll also go anywhere with you. You'll never be alone, remember that."

Yuuta looked up at each and every one of the girl's face as tears began forming in his eyes. "Thank you. Thank you for understanding me. I… I never thought that I'll have other friends who could accept me. Thank you."

The girls watched as Yuuta rubbed his moist eyes, their lips lifted upwards in a smile. After all, it's quite rare for their only male member to show his emotions so easily and earnestly at them. Even his girlfriend didn't get to see much.

After a minute of sobbing, silence returned to the vehicle. Nobody dared to make a sound, afraid to break the tranquillity of the moment. A minute passed before someone spoke up.

Unsurprisingly, that someone is Kurumi. "So, are we gonna go now or what?"

Rubbing the tears from his eyes, Yuuta nodded. "Yeah, I think we should go now. I want to see with my own eyes whether he's still alive in there."

"Let's go then, shall we?" Yuki grabbed Yuuta's hand and pulled him up. "I also want to meet with other peoples who might be in there."

The others agreed with Yuki and they exited the RV. Lifting their heads up, they stared at the building in front of them. It was tall like a typical company building and there's the sign Randall Corporation just above the entrance. Aside from that, Yuuta could vaguely feel something off coming from inside the building as if the whole place was giving a sinister-like aura. Shaking his head to remove those feelings, he trudged forward with the girls and ran across the street towards the front doors.

Avoiding a couple of undeads, the group passed the courtyard and arrived at the(surprisingly intact) glass doors, pushing it to enter. Inside, they were surprised some more at the condition of the floor which was devoid of any undeads and looked just like any normal reception hall. There's even an air-conditioner inside(despite the autumn season) along with the still functioning lights and LED signboards.

But what surprised them the most was the presence of a single person aside from them on the floor. The figure wore a white lab coat with a white shirt and black pants. His black hair was slightly spiky and dishevelled, indicating that he didn't rest too much. Staring back towards them was a pair of eyes, blue as the sky but hides a certain depth in them that matches the deep sea. His hands in the pockets of his coat, he smiled at them, a smile that they have seen over and over again during the past month.

"D-D-D-Da…" Yuuta opened his mouth but only stutters came out of it. Seeing this, the figure in front of them(who was definitely not an undead) waved at them with one hand.

"Hey, Yuuta. What took you so long?"

"DAD!" shouted Yuuta, tears forming in his eyes again. A look of happiness was written all over his face at the joy of finding a member of his family still alive. "You're here? You're okay! I can't believe it." He then felt a jolt on his side.

"Hey, is that really your dad?" Kurumi asked while the other three looked at him.

Yuuta nodded. "Of course, don't you see the resemblance?"

"It seems you've brought some friends over, so I guess I have to introduce myself to them, ain't I right?" The person who looked like an older and more mature Yuuta bowed. "I'm Kiriha Kenji, father of Kiriha Yuuta and the current head of the Kiriha household. I'm also a chief researcher at this company. It's a pleasure to meet you all."

Kurumi, Yuki, Miki and Kurumi were shocked at his introduction. Mainly because his voice and choice of words are exactly the same as what Yuuta said when he first introduced himself to them. Even the smile is similar. Yuki especially was stunned after seeing him and Yuuta that for a moment she got confused about which one was which. The similarities were that extreme.

Ignoring the stares of the girls, Yuuta, who still has tears in his eyes, called to him. "Dad, were you here all this time? Why didn't you tell any of is that you're still alive?" He took a step forward but was stopped by Kenji.

"Stay right there first, Yuuta," Kenji held his hand in front, signalling him to stop. "I don't want you to come here yet. There's still something I've got to tell you."

"What is it?" whined Yuuta while the other four watched at the conversation between father and son.

"Yuuta, do you remember a story I once told you in the past while you were still young?"

Folding his arms, Yuuta replied with a smirk. "Do you mean the story about how you and Mom met in college where you literally crashed into her and took away both of your first kisses, to which she responded with kicking you out of the window, from the third floor."

Nevertheless, everyone was shocked at the answer. The girls especially had twinkles in their eyes and perked their ears up in curiosity. For Yuuta's father, he had an embarrassed expression on his face and facepalmed.

"Why is that the first thing that you're reminded of?" Kenji sighed and shook his head. "Try again and remember."

"Was it the the story about how you once thought the female population were conspiring against you and become fearful towards them, which resulted in you becoming a shut-in and almost no friends, except one," Yuuta paused before continuing. "I also recalled that your catchphrase during that period was 'feminists' and how you wore thick glasses and a scarf despite the weather. You were basically a weird guy at that time."

"That's a lie, I told you. A lie!" shouted Yuuta's dad. "I just behaved like that to keep other peoples from interrupting me and my studies. Why is it that nobody, even your mum, believes me?" He then glared at Yuuta. "You're saying this on purpose aren't you?"

Yuuta smirked at the reaction while the girls sweatdropped. "Consider it as payback for your months-long absence from my life. About the story, you're talking about the legend of this sword, right?" He lifted the sword to show him.

"Huh… yes, that's what I'm talking about," Dr Kenji's face returned to normal after he calmed down. "I'm here to tell you the full version of the legend. You'd do well to pay attention to it."

"Do we really have to?" Perking his eyebrows, Yuuta pointed at the girls behind him. "Can't the story wait for another time after we settled down?"

Kenji shook his head. "I'm afraid not. Don't worry, though, I'll try to shorten it as best as I can. Now then, please be patient and hear me out, and I don't want to hear any interruptions from any of you for the duration of the story." One hand in his coat, he rubbed his chin with the other. "We'll start at the beginning, the origin of everything."

* * *

A long time ago, roughly several thousand years in the past when humanity has prospered and spread far and wide across the Earth, a rock crashed into an archipelago of what would later be called Japan. At that time, there were many small villages in the country but no local ruler had yet been designated, allowing the peoples to live a free and peaceful life of doing whatever they need to sustain their families. They were mainly focused on farming, fishing, taking care of livestock, developing the basic arts of martial arts and weapon wielding. Before the rock came that is.

Now then, the rock was just a small meteorite, barely just a meter long and wide, weighed several tons and is more metallic than rocky. Not actually something amazing, intriguing yes, but definitely not interesting. To the local peoples that investigated it, they just touched it for a while, for good fortune, then leave it be at its crash site.

However, this rock contains inside it something dreadful, something that would later bring calamity and death to living beings.

Within a month after the meteorite fell, weird symptoms began to appear among peoples that once approached it. They started to have absurdly high fevers and showed signs of madness. After several weeks of enduring the illness, they died. But, to the horror of their families and friends, they didn't completely die. No. They literally rise back from the dead looking fully healthy, but this time, with a deranged look on their face and without any hint of sanity. Also, they suddenly attacked their family members and cannibalised them. Those that escaped with their life from such attacks with a biting wound soon succumbed to the same condition, turning them into mindless, instinct-driven, cannibalistic, former human beings.

Not long after, the condition, which was simply called 'the Plague', spread across half of the land, transforming almost anyone that remained in the undeads' path into one of them. The country was in chaos. Fear crept into the heart of most still normal humans. Anyone who displayed the symptoms of the Plague was immediately executed and thrown outside their settlements. No one knew how to stop them completely. Their numbers were simply too many once everyone realised the need to stop them. By then, it was too late to do anything. The only thing they could do was barricade their villages and pray that it holds. Until someone found the way.

That someone was a blacksmith. Determined to end the chaos, he bravely ventured out of his village, making absolute sure to avoid the army of undeads in his journey. His destination was the crash site of the meteorite where he hoped he would gain some answers that could turn the situation back to normal. After a hellish journey and several close calls with death, he finally caught sight of the rock. However, the area around it was littered with the undeads. Sterling his heart, he made a mad dash towards the rock, avoiding the figures surrounding it. Arriving there, he quickly but carefully observed the meteorite. Chipping away a small piece, he turned around only to saw the undeads already closing in on him. Justifiably afraid, he held out the piece of rock(wrapped in a cloth) he just obtained towards the undeads. Surprisingly for him, it worked. The group retreated away from him and the rock.

The blacksmith suddenly had a burst of an idea. If he could weaponize the material into convenient forms and give it to other peoples, then they could control the threat or even vanquish it all together. Gathering his cutting tools, went on to chip even more pieces from the meteorite(careful not to touch it) to take home with him. After gaining a rather large amount of the material, he went on his way towards his village.

Once safe back in his house(the journey back was only slightly less difficult), he immediately went to work on the materials. Day and night he spends in his smith crafting weapons to fight the calamity from the rock that brought it in the first place. Ah, the irony. After several weeks of painstaking work, he finally finished them. Six blades of incredible brilliance and sharpness that glistens in the light. The cover for the blade was made from the strongest and lightest metal that he could find. The handle was covered with the skin of a dragon(or at least that's what his grandfather told him) and a simple gold guard is placed between it and the blade. The six swords are the most magnificent piece of work that he had ever created. He could also vaguely sense the supernaturalness of the blades, convinced that it can surely protect his fellow peoples.

Next, he called for six swordsmen that were still alive. Among them was the greatest one that had ever appeared, a person whose name is Kirimaru. To the six he entrusted the weapons to them, requesting that they protect humanity from danger. Not long after that, he died, succumbing to the same condition that he wants to prevent, but not before excommunicating himself from his village to avoid harm from befalling his fellow villagers.

The six swordsmen who received the will of the blacksmith began their journey across the land, eliminating any undead that they find. And the blacksmith was right, the sword did allow them to easily prevent the beings from approaching and had the added benefit of completely stopping their movements once they're stabbed. The group also encountered a foreign girl during their journey but that's not relevant.

After about two and a half years of travelling, their quest finally came to an end. The last of the undead completely dead and no other people exhibit the Plague symptoms, the six performed their last task, that is, sealing the rock away.

Carrying the not-too-massive meteorite, they moved it inside a cave under a mountain to be locked away forever where no one can attempt to release the calamity again. To seal the rock, five of the swordsmen sacrificed their lives and swords to cast a sealing magic that would prevent anyone from finding it or breaking the seal. The last one, the one named Kirimaru who is also the youngest among them, was entrusted with keeping watch over the location in case someone attempted to find it. He accepted the task swore that his bloodline will forever guard the place and prevent the Plague from happening ever again. He married the foreign girl and soon had a son along with several daughters. To the son, he told the tale and entrusted his sword to him when he died. The son then married and had a son of his own in which he told the same story and gave the same sword. The process was repeated with each new generation, lasting thousands of years into the present day. The story may have been altered a little and turned into a legend but the sword never loses its sharpness and purpose, for it is a sword that reflects one's soul…

* * *

"…and its name is Tamashiha, the Soul Blade."

As the story concluded, Kiriha Kenji looked towards his audience. The girls who accompanied his son was peering closely with wide eyes at the tale while Yuuta, though he appeared like he doesn't care, also has his ears perked up all through the story.

Satisfied with his story telling skills, Dr Kenji inserted his hands in the pockets of his lab coat again. Smiling, he gestured for Yuuta to talk.

"So… what do you want to say through the story?" Asked Yuuta. "As much as I enjoy hearing the tale, I still don't know what you're getting at here."

Kenji shook his head, disappointed that his son didn't understand the information he'd just give him. Calmly, he spoke. "Yuuta, can't you see the connection between the story and the present times? This plague," he threw his arms in the air. "Is the same plague featured in the story. We," he pointed his finger at himself and then Yuuta. "Are the descendant of the last swordsman in the story, Kirimaru. "That sword," he next pointed at the sword in Yuuta's hands. "Is Tamashiha, the same sword that our ancestor used to fight the undeads. Didn't you saw it?!"

"Of course I saw the connections," Yuuta suddenly laughed for a few seconds before ending it with a snicker. "Did you really think I am that dumb? I'm just messing with you, Dad."

Dr Kenji stroked his chest to calm his heart down. He didn't expect Yuuta to be this mischievous, perhaps one of the girls' personality rubbed on to him. "So, Tamashiha, huh?" He opened his eyes to see Yuuta inspecting the sword. "So that its name, but did-"

"Before you ask, yes. Our ancestor really has no imagination when he gave that name, and the subsequent generation didn't really bother to change it. They consider the name to be a trivial matter and kept it like that."

Yuki, Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki sweatdropped on hearing Dr Kenji's explanation. It really sounded like what Yuuta would say.

"What history," Yuuta sighed and shook his head. "You're basically saying that we are the direct descendant from a great figure and it is our duty to protect humanity from the virus that he and others sealed in case it broke. Well, honestly I never thought that would be my destiny."

You're right about the first part about our bloodline, but not actually correct in the second and third part," Yuuta's dad remarked. "We choose our own destiny and not the other way around. After all, if I followed our family's destiny, then I wouldn't have sought for the meteorite in the first place and unleashed the Plague to the whole world."

"Wait, what did you say?" Yuuta couldn't believe what he just heard from his father's mouth. 'It can't be! He's just joking, right?' Behind him, the girls also had a similar reaction with eyes and mouth wide open.

Fully expecting their reaction, Prof. Kenji smirked. "Yes, you did hear it right, Yuuta. This world that you see, the sufferings that you experienced, the pains that you endured and the losses that you gained." He paused and stared at Yuuta straight in the eyes.

"All of it is caused by me."


	6. Chapter 6: Revelation and Rage

Chapter 6 - Revelation and Rage

"All of it is caused by me."

Silence reigned the reception hall after Dr Kenji uttered those words. No one from the School-Living Club said anything, too shocked over the information that they just heard from the parent of one of their members. Said member was shivering now after he closed his mouth but the shock still hasn't left him completely, in fact, it only burrowed deeper into his heart.

All of it is caused by me.

Yuuta repeated the sentence in his head, trying to take in their meaning.

All of it is caused by me.

Again, he repeated the words. The words that took him along with the other member by surprise. There was no doubt that the girls were also trying to make sense of what they just heard.

"Is that true?"

The question was spoken very quietly that Dr Kenji didn't clearly hear it at first. Fortunately, Yuuta asked again.

"Is that true, Dad?"

Smiling while his hands were still in his lab coat, Dr Kenji replied loud and clear. "Yes Yuuta, it is true. I wouldn't lie at something like this. I'm the one who found the meteorite, with the sword in your hands I broke the seal, bringing it to this company I analyzed and researched it, and finally, I released it onto the world."

"Why the hell would you do something like that?!" Kurumi shouted, anger in her voice.

"Could it be… you're really using it as a biological weapon?" questioned Miki next.

Still keeping his smile, Dr Kenji rubbed his chin sagely. "Ah, I take it you've found the emergency instruction manual at whatever shelter you're staying before?" Miki nodded. "So that's how you're all able to survive, but unfortunately, that's not my intention. Although, that was the company's original purpose for the virus I found inside the meteorite." Here, he smirked. "Heh, simpleminded fools who only think of power and money, they never thought of any other use for the organism that I brought to them. Turning it into a biological weapon? Hah, such straightforward uses."

"Then why are you doing all this?" It was Yuuri's turn to ask. "What is your real purpose?"

Dr Kenji brought one hand out and pointed to the ceiling. "What is my real purpose you say? Well, that's simple," he opened his palm and stared at it. "I'm creating the elixir of immortality."

"WHAT?!" The girls all shouted in surprise at the answer(though in the case of Yuki she was more surprised that the other girls were shouting) and retreated backwards a little, unsure of what to make of the definitely mad scientist. Yuuta lifted his head up and spoke in a deep voice.

"Is that it? That's the reason you plunge humanity into such chaos, abandon our family's sworn duty, killing many innocent peoples, causing many survivors to suffer and unimaginable destruction. To create something that is only the stuff of legends?"

Yuuta's father's smile dropped and he narrowed his eyes. "Do you think I'm mad? You do, don't you?" The others didn't respond but he continued. "The higher ups also belittled me, saying that my dream is an impossible one and it's better to do a much more beneficial and useful research than an unobtainable one. They didn't believe me but I know I'm right! I've made progress on my own when I'm not following their orders and concluded that it was possible, it just takes more time and resource, but no, they pushed me aside. Well, I lose my patience and decided that if they wanted a biological weapon, then a biological weapon they will get. Releasing the improved virus strain into the air and several other places, I let them whimper under all the chaos. Next, I killed every single one of those who worked in this place, or at least those that haven't already been infected, until I'm the only one left. Also, the undeads that you've encountered outside are all basically my failed experiments, guinea pigs for me to test further. Aren't I a genius?"

"Are you kidding me?" Yuuta voice was low and sounded very scary. "You killed peoples!" He yelled. "You separated families, turning their loved ones against one another! You caused peoples to do horrible things to their friends! You drive people insane! You killed… our family…" Yuuta's voice drawled out before it rose again. "You killed Mom and Ruiko!"

In front of Yuuta, Dr Kenji just wagged his finger and said mockingly. "Ah, but I'm not the one who killed them. I only infected them with the virus. Why did you mention those two may I ask?" His son stopped for a moment from his outburst. "Who was it that actually killed them, Yuuta? Who was it?" Yuuta's eyes bulged as his father looked at him with a smug smirk. "It was you, right?"

Memories of the event entered Yuuta's mind once again as he clutched his head and kneeled down. "No…" he shook his head. "No… I… I didn't mean to…"

"But still, you did," Dr Kenji spoke. "I may be the one who caused them to be infected, but I'm not the one who finishes the job. You're the one," he pointed at the figure of his son. "You share half of the blame with me. No, you have even more to blame on than me, since you killed them while they're watching from inside their body. That's right, you killed your mother and sister while they're still aware and conscious."

"That's not true… It can't be," Shaking his head, Yuuta suddenly remembered what happened when he was infected more than a week ago. How his consciousness was definitely still with him during the first few hours from being infected, the feeling of wrongness creeping into his soul, his thoughts when seeing the one he loved conflicting on whether to kill him or not. Then, he reminded on what would his mother and little sister thinks when he killed them. Their disappointment on him, fear for their lives, disgust over his actions, and the damnation for the rest of his life. It was enough to make him crazy. "NOOOOO!"

Behind him, the girls watched in fear, not knowing what to do about the situation and Yuuta's condition. Yuki particularly did not know what to do at the moment. She wants to comfort her boyfriend but at the same time, a little scared on what he would do in his unstableness. And so, she just stood with the other girls as they waited for Yuuta to come back to his senses.

"Hahahaha!" Dr Kenji laughed loudly, much to the girls' confusion. "What would you do now, Yuuta? Your father was revealed to be the harbinger of chaos, the world is in an apocalyptic state, your friends cannot help you, and worst, you are reminded of being the killer of your own mother and sister!" He laughed some more. "Seriously, this is really amusing to look at. Maybe it's worth it to release the plague and try to create the elixir of immortality after all!"

Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki looked in disgust and loath at Dr Kenji's maniacal laughing. Yuki on the other hand, stared worriedly at Yuuta's back, hoping for any response from him. To her relief, she saw him rising up from his kneeling position, but something's not right. She could sense it in the air. His form leaked a feeling of wrongness and corruption.

"I won't accept this," slowly, Yuuta spoke. "I acknowledge that I'm the one who killed Mom and Ruiko. That's one regret that I will carry for the rest if my life. But…" He pulled his sword from its scabbard and a noticeable black aura was seen emanating from the blade along with Yuuta's body. "To think that you infected them, the town, the country, the world, just to fulfill your greedy and unreasonable ambition… That I won't accept," the sword hanging limply at his side, he stared straight ahead, his blue orbs turning into a very dark shade of the colour. "And I won't ever forgive you for this! I'll kill you! I'll kill you, you damned bastard shitty asshole traitor jerk fucking excuse of a father!"

As Yuuta surged forward to his father with every intention of killing him, the four girls behind him gasped as they heard him curse for the first time since their meeting. In fact, it is Yuuta's first time cursing to anyone aloud, and for the target to be his own father, and using a long string of curses at that, what a man.

Meanwhile, Dr Kenji stayed calm and just smiled as he watched his son moving in closer to kill him. Not even intending to move from his position, his eyes met with Yuuta's own eyes as the distance between them decreases.

*Bang*

Then, a loud sound was heard and echoed through the hall. The girls flinched at the sound and even Yuuta stopped dead in his tracks.

"Argh…"

Three seconds later, Yuki and her friends looked horrified as Yuuta collapsed on his knees and clutched his left thigh, a small hole present on the fabric and his flesh. Blood had also begun pouring out of the wound.

"YUU-KUN!"

"YUUTA!"

"YUUTA-KUN!"

"YUUTA-SENPAI!"

The girls screamed his name respectively after seeing him injured.

Holding the gun in front of him, Dr Kenji spoke solemnly. "Yuuta, as much as you hate my guts right now and wants to do nothing but kill me repeatedly over and over again, I won't kill you… yet." Staring at Yuuta whose dark aura still haven't dissipated and was sending a death glare that could murder someone if it was allowed, he continued. "As much as you won't believe this, I still see you as my son, and as such, I don't want to resort to killing you. That shot just now was me defending myself. If you pushed my limits, though, then I would have no choice but to put you down. Sadly, this rule only applies to you. Your companions on the other hand…" Aiming to Yuuta's side, Dr Kenji fired again.

Yuuta snapped himself from his current state of rage and quickly lifted his sword to deflect the bullet.

Behind him, Yuuri felt something small pass through near her right ear. Stunned for a second, she and the others turned around and saw a bullet on the wall just beside the glass entrance. Needless to say, after such a close encounter with death, she fell on her knees and trembled.

Relieved to see that none of his friends were injured, Yuuta faced his father back. "Like hell I'll let you harm any of them!"

"I'm glad you understand." Still with the gun in his hands, Dr Kenji ordered. "Then leave now, and never come back here again. I promise that I won't harm you if you leave right now. You're all not welcomed in this place. That includes you, Yuuta. If I ever see any of you near this building again without a desperate enough reason, then I'll have no choice but to dispose of you, just like I did with those that came previously."

His mind still hasn't returned to its normal state, Yuuta weighed the options for a few seconds. Standing up, using his sword as a cane, he sends another glare towards his father. "I'll get you for this one day, you hear me! I will remember this!" And with that, he turned around and ran towards the entrance, ignoring the pain in his left leg.

"Hey, wait for us!" Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki then followed him too, leaving Yuki as the only one still in the building with Dr Kenji.

Yuki's mind couldn't catch up fast enough with all that's happening during the past few minutes. Discovering that his boyfriend's father is still alive, hearing the story of what happened thousands of years ago and the connection between Yuuta's family and the virus, the shocking truth that Yuuta's father was the one who released the virus in the modern times, Yuuta moving in to kill his father before being shot in the legs, and now of him running towards outside with the other girls. It was too much for her to take in.

After taking several moments to organise the information she had heard, Yuki turned her head towards the entrance to join Yuuta and her friends outside.

"Hey, little girl there. Wait."

Unfortunately, before she could take a step she heard Dr Kenji calling for her. Facing him, Yuki trembled as he marched closer towards her with the gun that was used to shot Yuuta and nearly hit Yuuri still in his hand. Scared for her life, she just stood where she was and closed her eyes. 'Yuu-kun, please help me.'

Hearing the footsteps finally stopping right in front of her, Yuki was nearing her tearing point and just moments away from crying out of fear. Then, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." Opening her eyes, Yuki saw Dr Kenji smiling at her and inserting the gun back into his lab coat's pocket. "I want to ask you a few questions, that's all."

Relief entered Yuki's heart when she heard that though a small part of her mind was still feeling suspicious and wary of the person before her. "W-What do you want to ask me, Kenji-san?"

"First, may I know your name, little girl?"

Yuki was about to protest that she's not a 'little girl' but decided against it since she's still a bit intimidated by him. "My name is Takeya Yuki and I'm _18 years old_ this year." She stresses the part about her age.

"So Takeya-san, let me ask you. What is your relationship with my son, Yuuta?" He asked, surprising Yuki who did not expect such a question. "I noticed that you call him 'Yuu-kun' while your friends just stick with Yuuta, and I know my son. He won't let just anyone call him with something that's not his name, even a nickname is prohibited by him despite his claims of not caring about such trivial things. So, who is he to you, and who are you to him?"

A hint of crimson began to creep across Yuki's cheek when Dr Kenji mentions her nickname for Yuuta and his supposed dislike for the matter. But the fact that he never opposes the name she gave him brought a strange feeling of happiness inside Yuki's heart as she felt that she is a special person inside Yuuta's heart after all. Twiddling her fingers nervously, she replied to Dr Kenji. "I-I'm Yuu-kun's g-g-girlfriend. Pleased to meet you, Kenji-san."

Suddenly, Kenji chuckled loudly which made Yuki jumped. "Hahahaha, you're his girlfriend, huh? Never would I thought that he would get one at this age, and a cute one too." She blushed more when she heard that. "Still, to think that there's a girl who likes him, I'm honestly surprised. He's always been lazy, cynical, grumpy, a little bit introverted, not too emotional and unfriendly." Yuki tried to not interrupt his listing of Yuuta's bad traits as she fumed inside. "But for him to find love in this world, maybe this decision is the right one after all."

"Kenji-san," he looked down to face Yuki. "You do love Yuu-kun, don't you?"

When Yuki heard how Dr Kenji talks about his son, she noticed that there's no hint of malice or hatred in his tone. In fact, she could feel the love that he had for Yuuta. "It's true, isn't it?"

Dr Kenji lifted the edges of his mouth slightly before nodding. "Yes. Yes, I do. He's my son after all. My own flesh and blood. I love him as much as I love myself and my own father. That said, I still won't hesitate to hurt him if it's to protect my body."

"Can't you make up with him?" Yuki inquired. "If you do, then it'll feel a lot better for the both of you. I don't want to see Yuu-kun hurt and sad like that again." Feeling a little down, she felt a hand on her head.

"I'm sorry Takeya-san, but that's not possible." Shaking his head, Kenji explained. "What Yuuta said is true, I'm the one who destroyed a large portion of humanity. I'm also the one who brought this calamity to our family. There's no way he would ever forgive me for that, even if begged for his forgiveness for the rest of my life. Because of that, it's better if we go our separate ways, never meeting with each other again."

"But-"

His finger in front Yuki's mouth, Dr Kenji continued. "I'm no longer crucial in his life. He's an adult now and needs to decide on his own what he wants to do next. After all, he's becoming a better person now, have more friends than before and even a girlfriend. I trust him in your hands now, Takeya-san." He said as he took Yuki's hands.

Yuki became even redder in the face and could only nod timidly at such a request from his lover's father. Staring at him in the eyes, she began to wonder if it's natural for Japanese people to have blue eyes with black hair. Before she could think further, Dr Kenji pulled away from her and inserted his hand in the other pocket that does not contain the gun(at least she hopes so).

"Takeya-san, here." Dr Kenji handed over something to her and Yuki accepts it in her hands. Opening them, she discovers that it's two plastic foils with words written in English that she didn't understand.

"What are these?"

Rubbing his chin, Kenji tried to find the words to explain it to her. "They're what you would call medicines I suppose."

"Medicines?"

"Yes, medicines. They're for you and Yuuta."

"Why? I don't think I'm sick, and Yuu-kun is always healthy," questioned Yuki.

"Well, I say medicines but it's more like additional supplements to better your life," Dr Kenji explained. "I had an extra two in my pockets so I thought of giving them to you two."

"But why us?" Yuki inquired further.

At this, Kenji smiled. "Because I care for you both the most right now. Yuuta's my only son and you're his girlfriend, the girl he loves. I'm entitled to care a little more for the two of you."

Yuki accepted the reason as plausible. "So, should I give this to Yuu-kun and me?"

"Yes, but there's a specific time before you can give it to him and yourself," he crouched down until he's at eye level with Yuki. "First, make sure that you both are inside a closed room, alone without anyone else. Then, lock the door. Next, the medicines are in powder form. Pour them into two glasses of water and drink one for yourself and give the other to Yuuta. That's all, not hard to remember, right?"

The words were repeated inside Yuki's mind until she remembers them all. "Alone with Yuu-kun inside a room, lock door, pour in water, one for Yuu-kun and one for me. Got it!"

Seeing Yuki's smile, Kenji also replied with a smile of his own. "That's good. Alright then, better run to your friends and Yuuta now. Don't want them to worry about you if you're here for too long."

"Okay!" Yuki turned around and ran towards the entrance. "Goodbye, Kenji-san!" She said while waving cheerfully at him.

"Bye," Dr Kenji returned the gesture with a faint smile. 'So cheerful and full of energy, she's just like Ruiko and… Mina.' Staring at the ceiling, he began to remember his wife. 'Ah, Mina. I wonder if you would forgive me for what I've done.' Tears began to flow from his eyes before he realised them and rubbed her face. Turning around, he began walking back the way he came from.

'That said, I still can't believe that Yuuta managed to get a girlfriend in his age. That's earlier than me, though I never cared much about girls before I entered college and met Mina.' A mischievous smile suddenly appeared on his face. 'Even so, I bet they've never gone too far in their relationship. Yuuta's always been too kind for his own good and that Takeya-san seems too naïve to be doing anything riskier.'

Arriving in front of an elevator, he pushed the button and waited. 'I do hope that the Viagra I gave her can cure that, though. Consider this payback for making fun of your own father by revealing embarrassing stories about him, Yuuta.' The elevator doors then opened and Dr Kenji stepped in. Before the doors closed, he said with a genuine smile on his face.

"I wonder how my grandchildren will look like?"

* * *

Foreshadowing for the win!

Please review!


	7. Chapter 7: Overcoming Depression

Chapter 7 - Overcoming Depression

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Passing through the entrance, Yuuta ran away from the building, cursing all the while.

'Damn it! Why? Why must all of this happen to me?'

Just after he exited the courtyard of Randall Corporation, Yuuta tripped and fell on the ground due to the wound that was still present on his thigh. Face down on the road, he lifted himself up again and steadied his body using a lamppost to lean on.

'What did I do to deserve this?'

A lone tear fell onto his cheek before several others joined it. His body crouched, Yuuta sobbed quietly of his fate. The last time that he ever cried like this was on the first day of the 'incident' when he put down his own mother and sister. Remembering them, his heart was filled with more sorrow. It didn't last long because it caused his mind to wander back towards his father.

'No, that man is no father of mine anymore.' He thought begrudgingly. 'Not only he betrayed our family but also our ancestor. He's not part of the family now. He's a traitor.'

As Yuuta's heart raged on with thoughts of his father while tears continued streaming down his face, he heard the callings of his companions.

"Yuuta! Wait for us!"

Waiting for a few seconds, the owner of the voice and two other girls arrived at his resting place. Kurumi panted and tried to regain her breath(carrying a shovel is still hard no matter how used you are to its weight) and Miki leant against the wall, not actually looking tired. As for Yuuri, she's breathing hard from the running and stroked her chest to calm herself down(though on close inspection one could see her eyes widening in fear) since she's the slowest of them all.

Rubbing his face to clear away the droplets present in his eyes, Yuuta then averted his gaze from the girls. Of course, considering that it was just revealed that his(traitorous) father was the person who unleashed this calamity onto humanity and the fact that he's the one who insisted on coming to this place, it's justified that he felt ashamed towards them.

Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki for their part understood his thought and concern towards them(it's part of what made him likeable and relatable) but they also knew that nothing will come out of they just stood around in silence. Granted, the place where Yuuta was currently resting was conveniently sparse of any undeads, but sooner or later they will come towards them. Deciding to break the silence, Kurumi spoke first.

"Yuuta-"

"Don't talk to me. I don't deserve the concern from any of you." Unfortunately, Yuuta interrupted her before she could speak two words. "I'm ashamed of myself, I'm a disgrace to be his son. He doesn't deserve to live and neither does I. I may as well kill myself now before I become corrupted with greed like him."

Shocked to hear him taking so depressingly about himself, the three girls didn't know how to comfort him and bring him out of the state. Placing a hand on Yuuta's shoulder, Miki tried to encourage him.

"Yuuta-senpai, please cheer up-"

"Stay away from me!" However, Miki's words were silenced by Yuuta's shout as he removed her hand from his shoulder. "I don't need your sympathy! Do you think you can understand me?! No! I don't even understand myself anymore! Everything that I know in my life is crumbling now. It's all meaningless. My life is ruined." Turning around, he punched the lamppost. "Why did it all turn like this?! Why?!" He punched it again. "Why?! Why?! Why?!"

Repeatedly, Yuuta's fist met the concrete of the structure until his knuckles were bleeding. He didn't care about them, however. His mind was too filled with rage and bursting with adrenaline to care about any sense of pain from his body. This process lasted for ten more seconds before a scream caught his attention.

"Yuuta-kun, stop!"

Reluctantly following the order, Yuuta spun around, only to feel a sharp pain on his left cheek a second afterwards. Stunned, he touched the spot in a daze as his mind registered the person in front of him who had performed the act.

Panting, Yuuri kept her hand near Yuuta's face while Kurumi and Miki looked equally shocked as Yuuta about the sudden action of their club president. Five seconds later, Yuuri lowered her hand and stepped towards Yuuta's figure.

"Yuuta-kun." Hearing his name being said, Yuuta glanced away from Yuuri's gaze. "Yuuta-kun, look at me." Her hands on Yuuta's shoulder, Yuuri shook his body a little and Yuuta slowly turned his head to face her. Due to the height difference, he had to he had to look down a little bit but the stare from Yuuri's teal-coloured eyes was still intimidating. One would never think that she was so close to death a few minutes ago. "Listen, no one's blaming you. It's not your fault Yuuta-kun, you didn't know him before. In fact, you didn't know of anything much about him before all of this happens."

Partially closing his eyes, Yuuta spoke in a low voice. "But I thought I know him. He's my father, the head of my family, a caring person even if he didn't show it. He loves his family. He never missed any celebrations regarding me and Ruiko even with his supposed busy work. My mother told me that he vowed to protect her from any harm. And most of all, I believe him," tears began to form inside Yuuta's eyes again. "I believe him, and now he betrayed me, us, our family and all of humanity. He… I want to kill him for that!" Yuuta trashed his hands around.

"There, there, I understand." Ignoring Yuuta's trashing, Yuuri embraces his body and patted his back gently. "But remember, you're not alone anymore in this world. We're here for you and we'll always be. Me, Kurumi, Miki-san and especially Yuki-chan are always there to comfort you and share your pains. Just as you protect us, we will also protect you, Yuuta-kun."

After several seconds, Yuuta's finally calmed down and the tears had dried from his eyes. "Thank you, Ri-san. You really saved me there."

"It's no big problem," Yuuri removed her body from their embrace. "After all, you saved me before, right?"

"That's certainly true. What would you all do without me?" The four chuckled at his remark. After that though, Yuuta collapsed once more on his knees from the bleeding wound in his leg since the adrenaline in his blood had worn off.

Immediately, Miki moved in to support him. "Are you all right, senpai?" Yuuta nodded and allowed himself to be held by her. "We'll take you to the RV in a while, so hang in there."

"I'm nowhere close to dying Miki, so relax a bit." Laughing weakly, Yuuta scanned his eyes around him and noticed something wrong. "Hey, where's Yuki?"

Kurumi and Yuuri glanced around and noticed for the first time that Yuki was missing from their group. "You're right. Where is she?"

"Hey guys!" As if answering Kurumi's inquiry, the four heard Yuki's voice and turned around to see her running towards them. "Sorry I'm late."

"Where were you? You didn't do anything dangerous, right?" Asked Yuuta worriedly.

Yuki shook her head. "No, I was just… distracted for a minute."

The others quirked their eyebrow over Yuki's answer but did not pursue further. They then walked to their vehicle to nurse Yuuta's wounds and think of the next course of action. Following behind, Yuki slipped the package that she's given into her skirt without the other members noticing.

* * *

"Argh!" Yuuta winced in pain as the cotton wool touched the bullet wound on his thigh.

"Endure it for a second, Yuuta-kun." Said Yuuri as she dabbed the antiseptic-wet-cotton on the wound. Yuuta's hands meanwhile were currently being bandaged by Yuki since she insisted on taking care of her boyfriend.

Moving on to wrap the bandages around Yuuta's leg, Yuuri finished her work at the same time as Yuki. Due to her basic knowledge in first aid, the wound is neatly wrapped. The same couldn't be said about Yuki's work though, as evidenced by the messy wrapping around Yuuta's hands, a result of Yuki's amateur training. The person in question was beaming, prideful for her work.

"Yuki-chan, maybe next time you should leave the nursing to me," Yuuri proposed. "I think it's a little inappropriate for you to be doing the job."

Shocked with the comment, Yuki hung her head low and sulked in the corner of the seat. Yuuta meanwhile, was inspecting the bandages on his hands with interest. He then moved to Yuki and patted her head, or at least tried to.

"It's okay, Yuki. You just need more training, that's all." Turning her head, Yuki inquired.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. With hard work maybe you can even become a nurse one day," Yuuta told her with a smile on his face and placed a hand on his chest. "Then, you can take care of the wounds on my body as well as my heart."

The girls who were watching the conversation blushed at Yuuta's words. But for Yuki, she just smiled back at him and nodded. "Okay! I'll work hard and study hard then."

"That's good to hear," remarked Yuuta before his smile fell. "Hopefully it's just me who's hurt and not you." He uttered under his breath.

"Ehem ehem," A cough was heard from Miki's direction. "What should we do now, though? We can't go in there," she gestured at the Randall Corporation building. "So does that mean we should go to St. Isidore College?"

Kurumi took a seat before speaking. "That's the only choice we have now. We don't know of any other safe places left other than that after all."

"Yeah," Yuuta snorted. "Hopefully we don't meet any other peoples that I know there. That would just be fantastic." He said sarcastically.

"Yuuta-kun," Yuuri spoke with a higher than usual tone. "I told you before that it's not your fault. The peoples who reside there may be different from 'him'." Yuuta winced at the mentioning. "They may be good and friendly peoples who will take us in and provide us with food and shelter along with good company. Also, I don't believe everyone that you know before is a bad person. There must be some that are likeable and honest as well as caring. Try to stay positive, would you?"

Yuuta, along with Yuki, Kurumi and Miki listened to Yuuri while she lectured Yuuta. They understand what she's saying. Even in this apocalyptic state of the world, there must be peoples who still honours moral codes and cares for other humans aside from themselves, a selfless attitude that's important for humanity to prosper into a stable community instead of falling into chaos and Darwinism ways. Someone with Yuuta's traits for example.

"All right, you win now, Ri-san," lifting his bandaged hands in defeat, Yuuta stood up. "I'm not depressed anymore so you can rest assured now. Also, I'm sorry for worrying you and everyone else," he turned and bowed to the girls around him. "Sorry. I promise I won't lose control of myself again, or at least, I promise I won't hurt any of you if I do lose control."

"Huh, didn't know you can be this modest, Yuuta," Kurumi remarked. "I thought you had more pride for yourself as a man."

Lifting his head, Yuuta replied. "I do have a pride as a guy, but I also know when I'm wrong and need to apologise. I'm not that stubborn."

"Then, should we move now?" Asked Kurumi. "If we want to arrive quickly that is. After all, there's no need for us to rush, isn't there?"

"No, there isn't," Yuuri answered. "Let's just take our time going there and rest when we're tired. I imagine that some of us are still fatigued from the events of today," she looked at her clubmates. "That includes me too."

"Yosh! I'm driving first then!" Kurumi pumped her fist in the air and went to the driver's seat. "And don't argue with me, Yuuta. You're still hurt and in no condition to do anything tiring. Just sit there and flirt with Yuki all you want."

"I've got no intention to, and we're not flirting that much, okay!" Spoke Yuuta with a red face which was mirrored by Yuki. "It's just close interactions between a boy and a girl who likes each other."

"In other words, flirting," Miki remarked in a deadpan manner. "Honestly, you don't have to be that shy anymore. You've confessed to each other for over a week already, get over it."

Yuuta and Yuki, face still red from embarrassment, didn't reply to the comment. Miki then moved to sit beside Kurumi at the front to guide her. As for Yuuri, she took a seat at the table opposite from the two lovebirds and stared at them, a smile gracing her features.

As the RV began moving on the road, beginning their journey once more but this time towards a different destination, Yuuta opened his mouth and asked Yuuri a question.

"Ri-san," the person perked her head at the mention of her name. "What kind of guy do you like to be with?"

"Why, you're here with us and I don't think I ever had any ill towards you so I would say that I like to be with you," Yuuri replied, still smiling.

Shaking his head, Yuuta asked again. "No, I mean what kind of guy do you like to be with, as in romantically-interested, not in a friendly way."

"Oh," Yuuri realised the meaning. "So that's what you meant. But why would you ask me that? Are you perhaps planning to leave Yuki-chan and be with me?" She smiled coyly at Yuuta.

"Of-Of course not!" Yuuta quickly shook his head when he felt a very dark aura permeating from the figure leaning on his left arm. "I'm just curious, that's all."

"Is that so?" Sending another coy smile towards Yuuta, Yuuri then straightened her back and answered. "Well, I guess what I like the most is for someone who would like me for who I am, whether it's on the inside or on the outside. Someone who's sweet and caring but also respects me as a woman. That's the main traits that I'd look for a man who I would want to spend my life with."

"I see," Yuuta nodded. "I hope you do find him one day, even if the chances are low." He then felt a tug on his shirt.

"Yuu-kun, pay attention to me more," pouted Yuki.

Chuckling, Yuuta patted her head. "Okay, okay. Sheesh, you're too spoiled."

"But that's what you like about me, right?" Yuki beamed at him.

"Yeah, that's unfortunately true," sighed Yuuta. "Though you could try to be less clingy, you know?"

"I'll try~"

Watching at the two being lovey-dovey with each other, Yuuri couldn't help but smile at the scene. 'They're so cute. If only I had a boyfriend like Yuki-chan too.' Sighing, she turned her head and looked out the window.

'I wonder if I would meet him.'

* * *

Sorry for the late update, I'm on a break now which resulted in less time for writing.

Yeah, ignore the contradicting statement, I'm just feeling lazy to be honest. But here's a short chapter for you readers. Remember to review, though you probably knew about it by now. Well, see you later then. Later~


	8. Chapter 8: Reunion, Meeting, Additions

Chapter 8 - Reunion, Meeting, Additions

"We'll stop here for today."

Stopping the RV, Yuuta glanced back to the girls and informed them. At the back, Yuki, Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki was currently sitting around the table and playing cards. Hearing Yuuta's voice, they looked at him.

"Is that so? I'll start preparing dinner then," said Yuuri.

It has been three days since the group left Randall Corporation and the encounter with Yuuta's dad, Kenji. Yuuta's hand had healed earlier that morning but he still has difficulty walking and was limping slightly whenever he moved. The girls then decided to never talk about his dad again in front of him or at least until Yuuta no longer had hatred for the person.

"What's cooking, Ri-san?" Yuki asked cheerfully as she approached Yuuri. "Can I help?"

Yuuri shook her head. "You don't have to do anything, Yuki-chan. I can do this on my own."

"But I wanna help," pouted Yuki. "I promise I won't ruin anything."

"When you say something like that, it's kinda obvious that you're gonna ruin something eventually," Kurumi spoke from the table, still playing cards with Miki. "Yosh! Full house, I win!" She laid her cards on the table.

"Nice try senpai, but…" Miki placed her own cards on the table. "Straight flush, I win." With a smug grin, she looked at Kurumi who stared at the table with wide eyes. "That's five wins in a row now. Do you still want to play?" Ignoring the fury in Kurumi's eyes as she stared at her, Miki turned towards Yuuta. "The Sun's still out, so do you think we can check around the place, Yuuta-senpai?"

Grabbing a bottle of water, Yuuta unscrewed the cap and drank a third of its contents before replying. "You've read my mind, Miki. I was also thinking of surveying our surroundings to see if there's a place where we can set up our camp. That said, it's still dangerous outside since the night hasn't come yet so do you want to accompany me?"

"Of course!" Miki quickly stood up and picked her sword that's lying under her feet. "I'll go with you, senpai."

"My my, why are you so enthusiastic suddenly, Mii-kun?" Miki's body tensed when she heard the voice. "Is going out with Yuu-kun that great for you?" Turning her head slowly, Miki was met with Yuki's face mere inches from her own with a smile that almost made her go white all over.

"T-T-That's not true, Yuki-senpai," shaking her head, Miki took a step backwards. "It's nothing to do with Yuuta-senpai. Not at all."

"Really, Miki?" said Kurumi from her seat, agrin decorating her face. "Then why are you stuttering? Isn't it because you like being alone with Yuuta, just the two of you, walking around close with another, holding hands and doing other things that we can't see?"

Miki shot her a look that says 'You're not helping!' before her attention went back to Yuki. Her eyes glinting a demonic red and her short hair definitely rising due to the very, very, dark aura permeating from her body, and did she mentioned there were anger marks all over her head? For extra scare, her hands were wiggling around as if she couldn't decide whether so strangle her or not. "S-S-Senpai?"

"Yes?" Lifting her head up, Miki almost shrieked at the slasher smile that Yuki sports on her face currently. "What is it? You're definitely not getting away from here alone, you know."

Trembling now, Miki held her sword close to her chest as she closed her eyes and hoped for Yuki to return to normal. 'Please please, if I get out of this alive I promise I won't disturb Yuki-senpai again. I'll let her eat all the snacks she wants and never call her idiot or immature again. Please…' As a hand landed on her right shoulder, she panicked and called in her heart. 'Yuuta-senpai, please speak now. Please speak now!'

"So, you want to join us, Yuki?"

Thankfully, it seems that Miki's prayers were answered as Yuuta spoke to Yuki. The reason he didn't speak earlier was because he'd been chugging the entire contents of the water bottle without stop. Such was his thirst. "If you want, that is."

Relief entered Miki's heart as she opened her eyes, only to see her pink haired upperclassman's hands frozen so close to her neck. Said person though, was not looking at her and was giving her reply to Yuuta.

"Really, Yuu-kun? I can go?" Inquired Yuki. Yuuta nodded and she cheered, moving her hands from Miki as she did so.

"But you've got to stay close to me, got it?" Yuuta advised her to which she responded with a nod and a hug towards him. Yuuta didn't push away and just patted her head.

Letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding, Miki glanced at Kurumi. The girl was wearing an arrogant smirk on her face which annoyed her greatly. Marching towards her with fumes rising from her, Miki smacked her head hard.

"Oi, what's that for?!" shouted Kurumi.

"That's for causing me to almost get killed," Miki said before hitting Kurumi on the head again. "And that's for not helping me."

Rubbing her bruised head, Kurumi glared at Miki. "Why you…" she lifted her had and made choking gestures towards Miki's direction but was ignored by Miki in favour of prying Yuki away from Yuuta. Slumping back to the couch, Kurumi spoke. "Hey Yuuta, mind if I join you guys too?"

"I don't mind, right you two?" Yuuta looked at Yuki and Miki. The two shook their head although Miki was visibly reluctant at the idea. "Do you want to join us too, Ri-san?" He then asked Yuuri for her opinion.

So Yuuri removed her head from the cabinet where they stored their food. "Do I have to, Yuuta-kun? It might be dangerous and someone's got to watch the vehicle."

"You don't have to worry about any dangers, Ri-san," said Kurumi as she picked her shovel. "After all, you got me," she pointed at herself. "Yuuta," she then pointed at their sole male member. "And that annoying girl," the last one was Miki who fumed angrily(though not successfully since it only made her look cuter) as she protested at the discrimination. "Also, it's not like there's going to be anything happening to our precious RV," Kurumi proceeded to rub herself against the walls. "So it's fine if you join us just this once."

"Ignoring the rude way Kurumi-senpai called me," Miki glared at the person before coughing. "She's right about the given points. Even if the undeads cannot get into this vehicle, it's still not safe to be alone inside it. Also, aside from Yuuta-senpai, when we go out we should always have someone to accompany us, even if the situation seemed safe. After all, they do say 'Safety in numbers' and personally, I agree with the saying."

Yuki nodded. "It's much more fun if we're altogether after all!" She spoke cheerfully.

Hearing her friends trying their best to convince her to join them, Yuuri relented. "Okay, you all win," Yuki, Kurumi and Miki high-fived among themselves. "I don't like being all by myself too, honestly."

"It's settled then," Yuuta spoke from the door. "We're all going out. Remember, stay close to each other so we don't get separated. We'll move quickly if we have too and quietly so we don't attract any unnecessary attention. Everyone got that?"

"Hai~!" The girls replied. Standing in front, Yuuta exited the RV followed by Yuki, Miki, Yuuri and finally Kurumi at the back. Stealthily, or as stealthily being with Yuki can be, the five moved into the shadows. Peering from a utility pole, Yuuta noticed a house that didn't seem to have any undead entering it two blocks away. Running to the house with Yuki in tow, he gestured for the others to follow.

Entering the house, they found only one undead which was quickly struck by Kurumi. Searching the house for any useful things to take, they didn't found anything of priority except for some mangas which interests Yuki. Leaving the house, the group went into another house. This time, the house did have something of use for them, namely several flashlights with batteries and a new change of clothes for the girls. Entering the next one, the only thing that they took was a couple of video games that Yuki insisted they bring("How will we play them? I don't know if you noticed but there's no television or game console in the RV. Not to mention there's no electricity in the city." "It's okay. I'm sure we'll find somewhere where we can play them, Kurumi-chan.) which Yuuta didn't disapprove, much to the disappointment of the other girls. The surveying and scavenging lasted for an hour and a half before Yuuta told the girls that they were going to look inside one more building before returning to the RV.

Stepping into the building which was an office building by the looks of it, Yuuta and the girls proceeded carefully. After a couple of steps, Yuuta crouched down and observed something on the floor.

It was an undead corpse.

Looking further in front, Yuuta noticed that there were several other corpses littering the floor. This, of course, perplexed him since he knows that the undeads wouldn't just all drop dead without explanation. Yuuta examined the body while the four girls peered over his shoulder, confused on why he suddenly stopped. Then, Yuuta found the cause of the undead's, well, death.

There were several bruises and fractures on their face and chest, indicating that they've been hit by a blunt object. The injuries are also quite fresh, prove that they were sustained only recently. However, how did they got hit in the first place? It's not like they would start punching each other, not that they can with their current state of body, or they repeatedly collided into a wall or something, they still had their instincts after all. Thus, only one hypothesis remains.

A human did it.

A living human did it.

A living human survivor who may or may not be inside the building with them currently eliminated the undead's presence in the structure.

Yuuta paused as the realization hit him, but frowned a second later as he remembers the implications of said conclusion. If there are survivors in the building, how would they react to them? They could be selfish peoples who only cares about their own survival, or they could be optimistic peoples who still had hope of someone rescuing them like the girls. Either way, there's only one way to find out, and that's by searching the area.

"What was that?"

Yuuri suddenly spoke and Yuuta and the other girls perked their ears to hear. After five seconds, they didn't hear anything.

"What did you hear, Ri-san? I don't hear anything," Yuki asked her.

Walking a few steps from them, Yuuri cupped her hands at her ears. "I heard a voice, yes, a voice! There's someone here!" She informed the others excitedly.

Kurumi, Yuki and Miki looked at each other before turning to Yuuri with confusion written on their face. "I'm sorry Ri-san, but I don't hear anything too like Yuki."

"Me neither," said Miki.

Yuuri didn't hear them however as she still tried to listen more for the voice. "I know there are other peoples here, I know it." She stopped for a moment before pointing to the stairs. "They're upstairs. Come on, follow me." Sadly, before Yuuri could run to climb the stairs, a hand firmly grip on her shoulder.

"There's no need to rush, Ri-san." Advised Yuuta, his hand not letting go of Yuuri's shoulder. "Being reckless will only harm us and may scare off those peoples. Stay calm would you?"

After hearing his words, Yuuri relaxed her body and turned around. "I'm sorry, Yuuta-kun. I don't know either what came over me. It's just that, the voice sounds familiar to me and compelled me towards it."

"That's just your protective and big sister instincts surfacing. I understand that you want to meet them, I do too and so does the others. But, we need to be a little professional about how we will confront them. If we make a good first impression on them, there's a high probability that they would trust us better." Pausing a bit, Yuuta rubbed his chin before continuing. "Well, I think so. I don't really remember what you girls' first impression on me was."

At that comment, Yuuri blushed along with Kurumi and Miki as they remembered what they did to Yuuta on their first encounter with him. Meanwhile, Yuki remained puzzled as she stood behind Yuuta. After a while, Yuuri coughed on her hand and responded. "Well, I've already calmed myself down right now so can we search for them right now, Yuuta-kun?"

"Sure. After all, if we leave now we probably wouldn't see them again." Turning to the three girls behind him, Yuuta called. "Hey, let's go now. It's another treasure hunt only this time we're searching for peoples."

"Ooh, so we're going to investigation!" Shouted Yuki. "Yosh, I'll make sure to track them and capture them all!" Kurumi and Miki replied with an 'Eh, why not?' as Yuki moved close to Yuuri for more information on the search.

"Yuuta, are you sure there are other peoples in here?" Kurumi whispered away from the other girls' earshot. "You know Ri-san's been a little unstable recently. What if they're just her imaginations and there's no one living here?"

Looking at Yuki talking cheerfully to Yuuri with Miki telling her upbeat upperclassman to lower her voice, a thin smile graced Yuuta's face before he answered Kurumi's question. "While that does sound like a true possibility, I for one do not think for it to be the case here." He glanced at one of the dead figures on the floor. "These undeads, they don't collapse here from natural reasons. Something, or someone, did this to them and that alone serves as a proof for what Ri-san's currently hearing. Though I'm also perplexed on why I don't hear it too."

"Perhaps because you're not destined to hear it?" Kurumi joked. "Still, if that's what you said then I guess I can follow you. You're becoming more of a leader to us anyway."

"Please. Me, a leader? I can't even lead myself half of the time," replied Yuuta. Kurumi doesn't say further afterwards and the two joined Yuki, Yuuri and Miki in a line as they ventured to search for any signs of other survivors. Usually, it'd be easier if the one who has the clues, in this case, Yuuri, to be in front to guide them but Yuuta didn't want to place her in danger and placed her at the second-last spot.

Climbing the stairs leading to the next floor quietly, the group proceeded to search for any signs from a living human. After several minutes, they found none save for a single freshly unwrapped candy wrapper. They then proceeded towards the third floor in which Yuuta suddenly stopped, grinding the line to a halt. Yuuri also had her hand over her ears as her eyes were wide open and mouth gasping in shock. Slowly, she nodded at Yuuta who replied with the same. He placed a finger over his mouth gesturing for the others to be silent and step quietly.

Knowing the gesture, Yuki, Kurumi and Miki gulped nervously but still nodded. With Yuuta in front, he crept ever so slowly forward followed by the others as if they're in a horror house. In the growing darkness, Yuuta could see an intersection leading to another corridor at his left up front. Silently, he drew his sword from its sheath, an action which is mirrored by Miki. As for Yuuri, she could hear what she assumed was footsteps moving towards them from a distance up front. She wanted to alert Yuuta but she didn't need to actually as Yuuta could sense the presence of another being with them in the building. But still, he moved forward, unafraid and courageous.

Then, something suddenly came out from the corridor at the side and shoot out towards his face. Surprised, he swung his sword at the object… but stopped when the object also froze mere inches from his face. After a second of staring, he realised that the object was a hand wearing one-half of a brass knuckle. Through the lowly-lit lights of the floor, he looked aside from the hand to see the face of his attacker.

The person who had tried to attack him was a male at an age close to Yuuta himself. He wore a simple green shirt with brown trousers. His hair was coloured bright red with a cap atop it. His eyes were also as red as his hair but darker in colour, like a fire raging inside a furnace. And his feature had an angered look which seems out of place on the face of someone who had the gentleness of a lion. Wait, how did he know the face was supposed to look gentle?

Slowly, Yuuta lowered his sword and gasped in realization of the person's identity. "Shuuya?"

"Kiriha?" The other person also removed his fist from Yuuta's face as he uttered his name. "Is that really you?"

"I can't believe it," Tears began to gather in Yuuta's eyes. He then lurched forward and hugged his long lost friend. "You're alive!"

Shuuya returned the hug more enthusiastically and sobbed. "I never thought I'd see you again, Kiriha!"

"Me too," Yuuta replied.

Watching the two boys embracing each other in their reunion, Yuki, Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki shifted uncomfortably in their place, not knowing what to do in the situation. So, they just stared and waited until the two friends have calmed down.

They didn't have to wait long as Yuuta broke off from the embrace a minute later. Rubbing the tears in his eyes, he took one more look at Shuuya's face before remembering his companions. Stepping to the side, he let the girls see his friend.

"Everyone, I'd like you to meet Akazawa Shuuya," he placed one hand on his shoulder. "One of my best friend."

Shuuya looked forward and realized he's in front of other peoples. Instantly, he changed his facial expression to a gentler one and greeted them. "Hello, everyone. I'm Akazawa Shuuya, it's nice to meet you all."

The girls, minus Yuuri, all gasped at the name. "Wait, did you mean Akazawa Shuuya, as in THE Akazawa Shuuya?! One of the most popular guys in our school, captain of the soccer team, all-around great athlete and the nicest guy at school. THAT Akazawa Shuuya?!" Kurumi mouthed in disbelief.

"Is he that popular, Kurumi?" asked Yuuri.

"Of course he is, Yuuri-senpai!" Miki answered. "He's the ace of the soccer team and led them to win the nationals ever since he's in middle school. He's also the dream boyfriend of every girl and there's no girl at school that don't know about him." She then proceeded to shake Yuuri by the shoulders and started fangirling. "I can't believe I get to meet him face-to-face like this!"

Yuuta turned his head to face Shuuya. "Looks like you're still well-known even in this world." He said with an amused look. "Not that I care much. As long as you don't hurt any of them, you're free to interact with them."

"I-I promise I won't do that, Kiriha," Shuuya responded with a little tremble. Satisfied with the answer, Yuuta took his hand and pulled him closer towards the girls.

"Let me introduce these girls to you," he pointed first at Kurumi. "This is Ebisuzawa Kurumi, a little bit tsundere girl who fights with a shovel," Yuuta ducked as said shovel was about to hit his head. "I'm sure you know this, but she's Sakaki's girlfriend. However, don't talk about him in front of her," Yuuta whispered into Shuuya's ears.

"Geez, who're you calling a tsundere huh?" glared Kurumi at Yuuta before turning to Shuuya with a shy expression. "H-Hi, Akazawa-san. Y-You can call me Kurumi if you want."

"Next," Yuuta pointed to Kurumi's side. "This is Naoki Miki. She's a quiet girl who likes to read books. She's also our underclassman so treat her well."

"Pleased to meet you, Akazawa-senpai!" Miki practically, and awkwardly, shouted the words out. "I'm honoured to meet you! P-Please, call me Miki!"

"Are you sure she's a quiet girl, Kiriha?" questioned Shuuya in a low voice.

"She is quiet," Yuuta replied with an equally low voice. "Most of the time that is." Coughing into his fist a bit, he moved along and gestured at the girl beside Miki. "This is Takeya Yuki. She's in our class so you should know about her already. She's the laziest person in class after me." Stopping briefly, he patted Yuki on the head affectionately. "She's also my girlfriend now, so don't mess with her, or else…"

Yuki blushed a little when Yuuta's hand touched her head. "Yuu-kun!" She pouted when Yuuta laughed before straightening her body and waving at Shuuya. "Hello there, Shuuya-san! Just call me Yuki and I hope we can be friends!"

"Your girlfriend, Kiriha," Shuuya opened his mouth in shock. "But there's no way-" A hand suddenly moved to clasp his mouth.

"I know what you're thinking, and yes, I'm not joking. And yes, I'm serious. So, just shut up for now and let me finish their introductions. Okay?"

Shuuya nodded his head fearfully before Yuuta released him. Even so, he still looked tensed and moved a little bit from Yuuta.

"And finally," Yuuta spoke again while pointing at the last member of his group. "This is Wakasa Yuuri. She's the leader of our group and manages our supplies as well as our wellbeing. She's like a big sister to the girls."

"Are you implying that I'm not a big sister to you, Yuuta-kun?" Yuuri quirked an eyebrow at Yuuta who smiled sheepishly. "Anyway, it's a pleasure to meet you, Akazawa-san. I surely hope you don't mind our company." She reached a hand towards him.

Standing in front of Yuuri, Shuuya stared at her for a long while before remembering his manners. "Ah, I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you too, Wakasa-san." He shook Yuuri's hand while scratching the back of his head shyly.

Having finished with the introductions, Yuuta turned to Shuuya who still sported the dreamy look and asked him. "So Shuuya," The person in question snapped out of his stupor and glanced at him. "Are you the only one here, or are there others with you?"

"Ah, about that…" Then, a voice resounded in the halls, interrupting Shuuya's words.

"Onii-san~!" The voice said before a girl, presumably of middle school age, with short and messy red hair along with chocolate brown eyes appeared from the corridor that Shuuya previously came from. Her attire consists of a normal sailor uniform that's white in colour with a maroon jacket and red skirt going past her knees. For some reason, she's holding a piece of blue cloth in her hands.

"Ryuuko?!" For the second time that evening, Yuuta was surprised. Well, it can't be helped since he was just reunited with his best friend and now said friend's little sister had also appeared.

The not-actually-little girl turned around and saw Yuuta. Instantly, her face lights up and she pounced on him. "Yuuta-san!"

"Woah," Surprised, Yuuta stumbled backwards from the force. "Hey, come on Ryuuko. You're not Ruiko," he said, not realizing the tears now present on the girl's face.

Ryuuko lifted her head and showed her tearful face. "But but, I'm so glad to finally meet other peoples! Waaa…" She then proceeded to cry.

Behind Yuuta, the girls were wondering about who the new girl is. Well, except Yuki. She's basically fuming at the girl's action. 'How dare she touch Yuu-kun like that!'

Fortunately for Yuki, Ryuuko removed herself from Yuuta and sniffles a little. "He he, sorry Yuuta-san. I'm not usually like this am I?" Then, she realized, as with her brother earlier, that she's in front of more peoples. "Oh my! You brought others too? This is great!" She jumped up and down gleefully to show her happiness. "Wait, this is really embarrassing of me. I should introduce myself first, right?" Showing a bright smile, she waved at the four girls. "Hello, my name is Akazawa Ryuuko. It's really great to meet you all."

"She's also my little sister," Shuuya added as he placed one hand on her shoulder… only to be swatted away by her.

"No need to act so close to me, Onii-san," said Ryuuko. "Anyway, what are your names, Onee-sans?"

"Ah, this is-" Yuuta spoke as he began to introduce once again the girls. However, another voice reached their ears from the same direction that Shuuya and Ryuuko came from.

"Shuuya-san! Ryuuko! Is everything all right there?" The sound of footsteps was heard before, slowly, a girl peeked her head from the corridor. The girl seems to be of the same age as Ryuuko and wears the same uniform too albeit with a more neat feeling to it. She had long blonde hair that reached to her waist and hazel-coloured eyes. There's also two star-shaped hair ornament on her bangs.

"Maki-chan!" Ryuuko uttered. "Sorry, I forgot about you but look!" She gestured at the five peoples behind her. "We finally found other living peoples!" After that, she tugged on Yuuta's arm, much to the displeasure of Yuki. "And look! It's Yuuta-san!"

Instantly, the timid look on the girl's face disappeared and was replaced with an annoyed expression. She then huffed arrogantly. "Great, of all peoples the one that we do meet is Ruiko's Onii-san and…" she looked around at the other girls until her eyes stopped on one. "YOU!" She pointed at the person.

The person, who's currently looking at Shuuya(who doesn't notice it), was surprised at the shout. "What?" She looked around before her red orbs meet with the girl's own hazel orbs. "Oh come on! Why does it have to be you of all peoples?!" moaned Kurumi.

"Hold on, Maki-chan," Ryuuko held a hand in front of her friend. "That's bad manners you know. You should introduce yourself properly to them."

Still glaring at Kurumi(who's glaring back), the girl huffed once again. "Fine! My name is Subaru Maki, remember that."

"You don't have to be so rude, Maki," spoke Yuuta as he placed a hand on her head and promptly rubbed it. "And here I thought your personality changed a little after all that happened."

"H-Hey! Who are you to pat me like that!" Maki protested. "Only Onii-sama is allowed to do that to me!"

"But Maki-chan," said Ryuuko. "When you're crying or feeling sad don't you said you feel better when Ruiko-chan's patting you?"

A blush crept on Maki's cheeks and Kurumi cursed that they didn't have a camera to capture that face(for blackmailing her of course) before she threw her hands in the air and moved away from Yuuta. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that you can't do it to me!"

"All right all right, I think that's enough now," Shuuya tried to placate Maki.

After everything's calmed down, Yuuta began another introduction of his group for the two girls(not noticing the weird looks that Shuuya gave to Yuuri, or Yuki's cute glare at Ryuuko, or Kurumi and Maki's not-so-cute glare at each other) and they then ended up following Shuuya to their current place of residence. The place was just a simple room with two couches, several bottles of water and boxes of food. Once there, they all settled down and Shuuya started telling them about his, Ryuuko and Maki's story.

On the first day of the 'incident', when Yuuta had left for home, Shuuya was practising with his team at the field. After an hour or so, he saw some peoples entering the school from the gates but paid no mind to them initially. However, when one of them approached his teammates, they suddenly attacked them. Chaos ensued after that and Shuuya noticed that the others had already moved into the school. Being a nice guy that he is, he tried to help his team that were injured but repulsed when they suddenly began attacking him too. He looked around and, sure enough, the other victims had begun acting strangely like their injurers. As panic crept into his heart, he remembered his own sister and rushed outside the school gates, abandoning the other pupils.

Being the greatest athlete in the entire school, he managed to evade and outrun every one of the beings in his haste to arrive home. Since his house is not so far from the school, he arrived quickly and entered the building to ensure his sister's safety. What he found were his sister and Maki hugging each other with a look of absolute fear etched across their face as well as several tears, cowering before two figures that resemble his parents.

Ryuuko explains that when Ruiko left for home after school, she invited Maki to her house for a tutoring session. Seeing that both of her parents were absent when they arrived, the two went inside Ryuuko's room and studied for an hour or so(Ryuuko admitted that she only spent the first few minutes studying before plopping down on her bed with her cats while Maki finished both of their works from school) before she felt hungry and Maki joined her downstairs to get some snacks.

While searching the fridge for any cakes, Ryuuko heard the front door opening and asked Maki to check if her parents were home and if they have any snacks available. Maki paused from preparing their drinks and walked out of the kitchen… and shrieked a second later. Ryuuko, alerted by the sound, rushed to her side before also giving the same scream at the horrifying sight in front of her.

There, right before her and Maki were her mum and dad… but they're not her parents at the same time. At least, not her normal parents, for their clothes were covered in blood all over, their hair uncharacteristically dishevelled and hiding their eyes, arms hanging limply at the sides, and their mouths… their mouths were opened in a horrifying smile that showed her more teeth than she ever knew they had. Furthermore, they're slowly moving towards them, one step at a time.

Feeling really scared for the first time of her teenage life, Ryuuko collapsed on the floor, bringing Maki(who had turned deathly pale from fear) along with her. Unable to move due to fear, the two girls hugged each other for dear life as tears stream down their cheeks. As the two figures were directly before them, something happened.

Equipped with a pair of brass knuckles that he found inside a cabinet(for self-defense purpose obviously), Shuuya punched what was once his parents away from his sister and her friend. However, he did not stop just there. When the two figures fell on the floor, he repeatedly punched them, over and over again like a mindless animal until his shirt and hands were literally splattered with their blood. It's only when Ryuuko placed a hand on his shoulder fearfully that he stopped pummeling the beings, and wept after that. His sobs were joined by Ryuuko and, though she didn't want to admit it, Maki too.

That was the day their journey began.

The days after that were hellish, to say the least. Food, clean water and other supplies were hard to get and the place where they're available were dangerous to them since the only person who fought was Shuuya. Ryuuko was in charge of managing their supplies and whatever shelter they stayed in while Maki assessed the situation and collects information so that they can find a better shelter or presumably other survivors.

Finally, they did found a great shelter. It was shaped like a large bunker, and quite hard to get into but they managed to secure the place. It had working electricity, a supply of clean water and food to last them for a long time. That's where they've been staying for the past months until the place was breached by the undeads. They don't know how it happened, but suddenly the shelter was filled with them. Each of them almost didn't manage to make it outside and many of their supplies were lost in the fire that raged afterwards from an explosion that Shuuya initiated in desperation to destroy the undeads.

This happened a few days ago, and now they've taken temporary residence in this office building until they've gathered enough resources to venture out again. Then, Shuuya heard some noise downstairs and went to investigate. When he didn't return after a few minutes, Ryuuko went to search for him. And when she didn't return, Maki then followed her steps and that's how they encountered each other.

"So, what're you going to do now?"

Yuuta asked the question after the three had finished their story. All those months and he didn't know that his best friend is still alive. If only he found them sooner. But if that happened, then he wouldn't meet the girls at all.

Shuuya sighed. "Like I said earlier, we're just trying to lay low and collect more supplies before going out again. Don't know if we'll find those other well-equipped places, though."

The group sat in silence as they thought about their purpose and destination afterwards. Then, Yuki suddenly posed them a proposition.

"Then, why don't you all join us?" Smiled Yuki.

"Join you guys?" Maki repeated. "I'm uncertain about that. Not that I don't trust you guys or anything, well, I know I couldn't trust that girl over there," Kurumi scoffed at the discrimination. "But can you afford other peoples in your group? Supplies are hard to come by, am I right?"

Yuuri replied Maki's inquiry with a gentle smile. "You don't have to worry about supplies, Maki-chan. We have enough to feed all of us for some time. Furthermore, were going to a place where there's hopefully more supplies and necessities for us."

"Hmm," Shuuya put his hand on his chin and seemed to be thinking deeply. "Can we discuss this among ourselves first?" He asked. Yuuri nodded and he stood up, exciting the room with Ryuuko and Maki.

From inside the room, Yuuta and the girls could hear noises from the other side of the door. Shuuya and Maki's voice were the prominent ones but they couldn't hear much thanks to Ryuuko's occasional shooting and what is presumed to be her throwing tantrums.

After five minutes of waiting, the three finally entered back into the room. Stepping forward, Shuuya coughed a bit into his fist before giving them their answer.

"All right, we've decided," he began. "We'll join you guys."

Yuki leapt in happiness at the answer while the others had a smile on their face. Yuuta held a hand towards Shuuya and he shook it.

"Welcome to the School-Living Club then, Shuuya, Ryuuko and Maki. I hope you'll have fun with us."

Returning to the RV after the decision was made, the three moved their things into the vehicle which was not that many, to begin with. The night then was spent with the girls sleeping inside while Yuuta and Shuuya stayed awake on top, looking for any dangers and incoming undeads.

When morning came, Kurumi was already behind the steering wheel(after she washed her face and had breakfast of course) and was ready to begin the day's journey. Ryuuko was on the seat beside her since she wanted to and promised to be her guide while Maki was sitting at the back as far away from Kurumi as possible with Miki at her side. Yuuta and Yuki were, as always, next to each other being awkwardly sweet to each other(to the annoyance of Maki and Ryuuko's gushing). Meanwhile, Shuuya and Yuuri were sitting from across the table with both of them feeling a little uncomfortable at each other's presence, slightly for the latter and greatly for the former.

"Yosh! Everyone ready to go?!" Kurumi shouted.

"OOOO!" The others, minus Maki and Miki, responded.

"All right, here we go!" Stepping on the gas paddle, Kurumi drove away to their destination with hopes inside everyone's hearts that the place and their residents will be nice to them. A little optimistic they are yes, but in this world, a little optimism can lead to good things, as with Yuuri following her instincts and her cub members trusting her.

And because of that, the members of the School-Living Club increased by three.


	9. Chapter 9: Meet the College Residents

Chapter 9 - Meet the College Residents

"How is it, Kurumi?"

Hiding behind a car, two individuals were peering from the sides.

"Good. Seems like we'll be able to get through," replied Kurumi, as she lowered the binoculars. "Let's go tell them."

Standing up, Yuuta and Kurumi walked back towards the parked RV a block away. Entering the vehicle, Yuuta informed the occupants inside. "Okay everyone, looks like it's safe to go inside, if Kurumi is right. Now, let's go," Yuki and Ryuuko cheered. "But for safety measures, in case there are peoples inside and they prove to be hostile to us and we need to run, can someone stay behind until we make sure that the residents inside are not dangerous. So, any volunteers?" Yuuta queried.

"I don't want to be left behind," Yuki exclaimed. "I want to meet them!"

"Me too!" Said Ryuuko.

"As much as I want to stay, it's better if I go with you lot," Maki spoke. "After all, you need someone smart to talk for you," she lifted her head up in arrogance.

"Arrogant little brat," muttered Kurumi under her breath.

"I prefer to go outside rather than stay inside too. Sorry," Miki informed.

Then, Yuuri stood up from her seat. "If no one wants to stay behind, I can stay. At least until you all came back to fetch me."

"Is that so? I appreciate that, Ri-san." Yuuta told her. "All right then, let's move out people!"

As the group excluding Yuuri file out of the vehicle, Shuuya approached Yuuta. "Kiriha," he called to catch his attention. When Yuuta turned to face him, he spoke. "Can I stay behind too?"

Yuuta was perplexed on why he didn't want to come and asked him. "And why would you want that, Shuuya?"

"It's dangerous for Yuuri-san to stay alone in here, right?" Shuuya answered while averting his eyes from Yuuta. "What if some of 'them' come near while we're out. Wouldn't she be afraid and in danger? Someone's got to accompany her."

As oblivious as he is to his feelings and the feelings of those around him, Yuuta was not oblivious to Shuuya's intention at the moment. This is Shuuya after all. He had known him since first grade and one of two people who know Shuuya's 'secret'(the other one being his sister) as well as one of his best friend. A grin appeared on his face and he placed one hand on Shuuya's shoulders. "I see, you're absolutely right," Shuuya turned his eyes back to Yuuta, uncomfortable with the tone of his voice. "She does need someone to accompany her and guard her. However, can you do that, Shuuya? Can you really not only protect her but also stay by her side?"

"Yes, yes I can, Kiriha," replied Shuuya firmly with only a hint of doubt. "I will try my best for her and everyone else." The redhead added with a glare.

"Then you can stay here," Yuuta reverted back to his normal voice. His back to him, he waved at Shuuya as he passed the door. "Good luck, Shuuya."

Realizing what he had said to Yuuta, Shuuya's face turned red as he could only wave back slowly at him. Shaking his head to clear any embarrassment, he walked to the front where Yuuri was sitting. When he plopped his body on the front passenger's seat, Yuuri took notice of him.

"Ara, Shuuya-kun. Why are you here? Shouldn't you be joining them outside?"

Running a hand through his red hair, Shuuya replied with a warm smile. "I decided to also stay behind. I've already informed Kiriha. I don't want to leave you all alone in here after all, Yuuri-san."

Yuuri was surprised for a moment but then chuckled slowly. "My my, what a gentleman you are. I don't know you cared so much for me," she added the last line teasingly.

"If I'm a gentleman, then you must be a fair lady, Miss Yuuri," Shuuya countered her teasing. Grabbing her right hand, he kissed the back of it. "And a lady such as yourself need a fine man to court her, am I right?"

A faint blush appeared on Yuuri's features when she heard his words. Opening her eyes, she took a look at Shuuya. His handsome face, those kind red eyes that seemed to burn slowly, red lips that formed a smile which looks like it could melt away any girl's heart(and it did actually) along with the spiky red hair that pointed backwards that must have been hard to style. She now knows why this person was the admiration of many a girl who was bewitched by his features and personality.

However, while she is a normal girl and had fantasies about meeting a nice guy who would stay with her forever and all that fairytale-like things, she had grown up a bit from those thoughts. Moreover, she had survived things that not many others did. She had companions now, friends that rely on her and she relies on. Things such as having a relationship that's more than friends are not what she should be thinking right now, not when their lives are still not stable and still viable to disappear. So, while she truly wishes for a chance to pursue her dreams, she will not pursue them now, and she will decide if this person is worthy of her or not. She's not such a cheap women after all.

"Shuuya-kun," spoke Yuuri as she pulled her hand. "As much as I appreciate your manners, please keep them only to yourself. We're just friends now, am I clear?" she stressed the word 'friends' and smiled, a little of her dark aura showing.

"Yes, I apologize, Yuuri-san," Shuuya said calmly as if he's not intimidated by Yuuri's aura at all. "I won't do it if it makes you uncomfortable. I do want to know you better, though, as with the rest of Kiriha's friends."

Yuuri dissipated her aura and smiled, a genuine and gentle one this time, before speaking. "Then, why don't you tell a bit about yourself first, Shuuya-kun, then I'll tell you something about myself."

"That's fine with me," replied Shuuya. "My favourite food is Mapo Tofu. What's yours, Yuuri-san?"

* * *

Crossing the road, Yuuta, Yuki, Kurumi, Miki, Ryuuko and Maki arrived at the front gate of St. Isidore's College. With no ladder up, Kurumi pointed at the metal door and how they could find them. As usual, Yuuta had to climb it first so that the other girls can protect their modesty(Yuuta wanted to say that he'd already seen Yuki and Kurumi in their undergarments but was quickly threatened with a shovel to the neck) and arrived at the top of the wall after some difficulties. Then, he helped the girls to climb one by one until they're all on the high wall. For descending, there are two ladders conveniently leaning on the wall which they used to climb down.

"Yosh!" Exclaimed Yuki when her feet touched the ground. The other five were already on the ground waiting for her. "Finally, we're entering university."

"But we haven't taken the test yet," Miki reminded her. "And some of us are not yet of age to enter." She gestured at the two youngest members of the group.

"Well, I know I would enter one someday, but I never thought it would be this soon," uttered Maki. "Surely, it's because of my brilliance and brightness." A little distance away, Kurumi could be seen making strangling gestures at her.

"I wonder if studying at a university is fun," Ryuuko spoke as she looked at the building. "What so you think, Yuuta-san?"

"In my opinion-" Yuuta began to tell his views on the subject before a loud voice surprised them. 'Why is it I'm always interrupted when talking about something?' He sighed inwardly and darkly.

"ALL OF YOU, DROP EVERYTHING AND PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" The voice came from the bushes where they could see a hat and a megaphone peeking from it. The group complied and dropped their bags and weapons on the ground, arms in the air… except for Yuuta who still didn't move from his position.

"I SAID ALL OF YOU RIGHT NOW!" A person, a short bespectacled boy wearing a hat over his black hair, short trousers, and a jacket over a shirt emerged from the bushes with a crossbow in his hand. Pointing it at Yuuta, he fired an arrow at him.

*swish* *clang*

With a swing of his sword, Yuuta deflects the projectile away from him, to the surprise of the girls and the perpetrator. Not missing a beat, he stepped forward and arrived in front of him in a flash. Stunned for a second, Yuuta hit the point of the scabbard to his stomach, knocking the breath out of him and dropping his crossbow in the process.

Shocked as they were, Ryuuko and Maki were more shocked to see Yuuta in action since they've never seen him move that fast, or active, or running, or anything physical actually.

Staggering backwards, the short boy, clutched his stomach and looked forward, only to find a sharp blade pointing at his neck. Sweating profusely in fear, his eyes stared at his attacker. "What are you doing?"

"What am I doing?" Yuuta laughed at the question. "I'm teaching the guy who fired an arrow at me not to interrupt me when I'm talking again. That's all there is to this. This, meanwhile," retracting the sword, he slammed his palm on the guy's chest. "Is for shooting at a stranger, which I must say, who arrived peacefully to you. Do you really do this to everyone that you met?"

Averting his eyes, Yuuta pointed the sword at his neck again, the blade shimmering in the sunlight. "I said, do you really do this to everyone that you met?"

"No," he spoke. "You guys were the first who arrived here in a while."

"Oh, that explains things a little," sword still in hand, Yuuta questioned the boy. "Who are you, and are there others aside from you?" The blade inched nearer to his neck. "And answer truthfully. I don't actually mind killing you if you'll endanger my friends."

"Kougami Renya," he begrudgingly said. "Yes, there are others in this university. Five including me in a group and four others in another group. Are you satisfied?" He added the last part with a hiss.

"No, not yet," replied Yuuta. "Are the others as hostile as you or what?"

Not looking in the eyes, Kougami answered. "No," Yuuta tightened his grip on the sword. "Yes, we are," he corrected hurriedly. "Resources are scarce you now. We have to do everything we can to survive."

"Does that include forcing peoples to join your group?" Yuuta asked which surprised him.

"Yes, even that," he said. After a few seconds of silence, Yuuta spoke, not to him, but to the girls behind.

"Kurumi, lead them back to the RV and tell Ri-san to start the engine," informed Yuuta.

"What about you, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki questioned.

"Don't worry about me. I can handle myself. Now go." Hearing that, the girls climbed the ladder back except for Yuki who stared worriedly at Yuuta.

"Yuu-kun…" called Yuki.

Turning around, Yuuta smiled at her. "It's going to be all right. No one's going to get hurt, not on my watch."

Nodding, Yuki joined the others to the other side of the wall. Looking back towards the person he's holding at sword point, Yuuta noticed his gaze. "What?"

"Is that… your girlfriend?" questioned Kougami.

"Yes. Why? Do you have one too?"

"Ah, yes," a streak of crimson could be seen on his face. "Wait, I shouldn't be telling you this!" He realized. However, Yuuta only smiled at him.

"One last question before I go," Yuuta began as he noticed some figures coming from a distance. Kougami, not seeing it, gestures for him to ask. "You're a student here, right?" He nodded. "I'm a senior in high school, so why are you shorter than me?"

Surprised at the question, Kougami was even more surprised when Yuuta suddenly retreated back from him, picking his crossbow, and loading it, before firing at his side. The target was not him but the two figures that Yuuta saw behind him.

Unfortunately for Yuuta, even if he can deflect a bullet and an arrow heading towards him, that was all because of his quick reflex and very near eyesight. He is still shortsighted. He can't aim properly at a target more than a few meters from him.

That's why, the arrow ended up a long way from the figures his intended target. Clicking his tongue, he threw the crossbow away and rushed towards the ladders, climbing up quickly to his companions.

* * *

"Is that so? That's really great."

"Yes, you should see it. That was one of the most memorable good moments in my life."

Inside the RV, Shuuya and Yuuri were telling stories about themselves. Right now, Shuuya was detailing to Yuuri about a terrific goal that he scored when he was in middle school.

"Then, there was the next one where the ball hit the goalpost and-" Suddenly, there was a loud banging on the door along with a voice.

"Ri-san! Akazawa-san! Open up!"

Hastily, Yuuri got on her feet and went to the door. Opening it, she was beheld with the angry looks of Kurumi, Miki and Maki along with Yuki's and Ryuuko's curious face. "What took you so long?!" Kurumi asked angrily.

"What do you mean, Kurumi?" Yuuri was perplexed at the question. At that time, Shuuya arrived at the door.

"What did I mean?!" Anger marks appeared on Kurumi's head. "Do you know we've been standing out here for several minutes already? Did you not hear us knocking and calling your name?! What did you guys do inside anyway?!"

Embarrassed for letting her friends outside for long, Yuuri blushed and fumbled an answer. "Ah, y-you see. Shuuya-kun and I were-"

"SHUUYA-KUN?!" Kurumi, Miki, Maki and Ryuuko shouted. Yuuri flinched back at the loudness.

"Yuuri-san, are you okay?" Asked Shuuya as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"YUURI-SAN?!" Again, the four shouted while Yuki stared behind her, looking for any signs of Yuuta.

"Onii-san," Ryuuko stepped forward, hands clutching over her chest, unease in her voice. "What did you and Ri-san do? Don't tell me that you-?!" She gasped dramatically. "You did… THAT to a girl you just met yesterday."

"THAT?" Kurumi, Yuuri, Miki and Maki said with question marks over their heads. "What is that?" However, Shuuya reacted strongly on the question.

"NO, Ryuuko. I did NOT do that with her, nor with anyone," flailing his hands while talking, he added further. "We're just talking."

Ryuuko crosses her arms. "So, you talked your way into it? Onii-san, you disgust me," her poisonous words shocked everyone except Shuuya and Maki who's used to it.

Veering towards Shuuya, Yuuri whispered to him. "Shuuya-kun, what is she talking about?"

Shuuya whispered the response with a blush. "You know, what two peoples, a boy and a girl do when they're alone, inside a closed space, far from anyone else…"

Yuuri's face turned dark red as she realized what Ryuuko meant. "R-Ryuuko-chan! That's not what were doing! We really were just talking among ourselves, nothing more than that!"

"Reaaalllyy?" Ryuuko questioned with a skeptical gaze.

"Yes! We're just friends! That's all!" Shouted Yuuri embarrassingly.

"That's fine then!" Exclaimed Ryuuko happily. "I wouldn't want you to do it just without knowing his 'secret' after all."

"Secret?" Yuuri repeated the word. "What secret?"

"Oh, maybe next time," Ryuuko moved his hand lazily to wave the question away, aware of Shuuya's flushed face. "Now, we've got to move inside quickly! Yuuta-san said to start the engine and wait for him!"

"I think that's too late now, Ryuuko." Turning her head back, Ryuuko noticed a person standing behind him. "Honestly, you've got to stop gossiping around and spread misunderstandings. What if I've told you there are a bomb and call for the bomb squad? You'll just chat with them for hours until the bomb explodes. Time is of the essence, you know?"

"Eheh, sorry Yuuta-san," Ryuuko rubbed her head. "When did you arrive?"

"Oh, a long time already. Long enough for our assailants to catch up," he gestured towards his back where two helmet-wearing figures running towards them. "Now, get on already, and start the engine fast Ri-san. I'll drive."

"Right!" Everyone hurriedly entered the RV. Yuuta at the front and Kurumi besides him, and the others seated at the back, the vehicle moved away from their chasers.

"STOP!" One of them shouted but was ignored.

"Okay, where should we go now I wonder?" Muttered Yuuta to his companions. "Any ideas?"

Miki was the first to speak. "First, what did you do to get them to chase you, senpai?"

"Eh, they're not chasing us actually," he said nonchalantly. "It's more like dragging and forcing us to join them for their own goals."

"Look, behind us!" Yuki shouted and pointed at the back window where a car was currently on their tails.

"They're quicker than I thought. What do we do now? Any good ideas will be appreciated," Yuuta asked again.

Maki moved to the front. "Hey, don't you hear something?"

"I'm not deaf, you know!" Countered Kurumi.

"I'm not saying you are, you undeserved girl," Maki growled at Kurumi who growled back. "I said there's some noise coming from the radio."

"Raise the volume then, Kurumi," Yuuta instructed and she complied. They then heard a voice(female) coming clearly from the speakers.

"You guys in the camping car, can you hear this?" Was what they heard. "If it's dangerous, come through the back exit! We're waiting!"

"Should we go?" Questioned Miki.

"Well, no choice now, right?" Yuuta grinned.

"It's the next right followed by a left," Yuki informed them while looking at the map.

"All right then, hang on tight!" Following Yuki's direction, the vehicle drove into a small road leading to a gate. Waiting there were three women who helpfully opened the gate. After the RV passes through the gate, it was closed back. The chaser car stopped before the gate and turned around.

Parking the vehicle, Yuuta turned the engine off. Glancing at the others, he rises up and went towards the door. "Well then, let's go and greet them, shall we?" He said before opening the door and stepping outside.

"Good work out there. You guys are really awesome, especially you, sword guy," a woman with orange curled hair tied into a ponytail wearing a sweater over a shirt and plaid skirt pointed at Yuuta.

"So, who are you girls?" Yuuta queried.

"Well, we're fellow survivors obviously," said a girl wearing round spectacles with light purple hair where some of it were tied into a long braid hanging off her left shoulder. Her attire was a white hoodie and a short skirt.

"We're a bit different, though. We're in a different group from those guys back there," said the orange hair woman again.

"Yeah, we don't get along well with those pushovers," the glasses girl stressed out. Besides the two females, the other girl who had medium-long black hair and wears a one piece, plaid dress that has a zipper with torn jean shorts underneath it along with unconnected sweater sleeves on her arms, stared quietly at them.

"So then, welcome to Saint Isidore University!" The glasses girl exclaimed as she held a hand towards them, expecting their response.

Slowly, Yuuta pushed Yuuri to the front. "Well, Ri-san. Take it. You're our club leader, am I right?"

Glancing at her friends, they all gestures for her to shake the hand, in their own ways of course(Shuuya smiled brightly at her while Maki looked aside and just said 'Get it over already,'). Her face reflected in the glass, Yuuri accepted the hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise, I hope you have a nice time in this place with us," replied the glasses girl who they presume was the leader. "It's nice to have more peoples to liven this place up a little."

On that day, The School-Living Club found some new friends, and new enemies.


	10. Chapter 10: More Introduction and Rooms

Chapter 10 - More Introductions and Rooms

"So, you were in a school all this time. That's impressive."

"Yeah! We were doing a School-Life Club too, but Yuu-kun came later and Shuuya-san, Ryuuko-chan and Maki-chan only joined us yesterday," said Yuki, answering the orange-haired girl's question.

Yuki and her friends were currently walking through the corridor, following the trio that they recently met a few minutes ago.

"A School-Life Club huh… we're doing something similar."

"YUP!" The glasses girl stopped in front of a door and faced the others. "Welcome to our Crew!"

"The crew…?" Maki uttered confusingly.

"Yup, yup. We were a bit worried about the name. Something like the Fallen Club, or the Weird Sisters…" she listed out.

"Oh, really? I don't know it's that hard to come up with a name," Yuuri said from beside Kurumi with a sweatdrop on her head.

"No one… could agree on the name," spoke the black-haired girl for the first time.

"Well, after some time we decided to just settle on The Crew," reaching for the handle, the glasses girl opened the door. "Difficult things aside, come in."

When the door was opened, the group stepped inside a small room that has two large beanbags, a stereo system, a television screen, two bookshelves, several game consoles and their game cases as well as a few books and leftovers of food containers scattered on the floor.

The first one to response to the place was, surprisingly, Ryuuko. "Whoa… what a mess! Don't you clean this room, Onee-sans?" Then, she proceeded to crouch down and grab the books lying by her feet before placing it back at the bookshelf.

The glasses girl and orange-haired girl both sweatdropped at the words. "Being scolded by a middle-schooler really does damage to your dignity as an adult."

"Hey, does this work?" Kurumi asked as she held a game controller.

"Of course!" Said the glasses girl before plopping down on one of the beanbags. "Wanna play?"

"See, Kurumi-chan? I know it's not wasteful to bring those games," Yuki spoke as Kurumi joined the glasses girl on the beanbag.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're right," holding one of the controllers, she said to the girl beside her. "Let's play!"

Sadly, the controller was then snatched from her hands. "Not now, Kurumi-senpai," Miki held the controller above Kurumi's head. "We're not here just to play games."

"Hey, give me that back!" Kurumi tried to reach for the controller but Miki smartly(not) tossed it to the person Kurumi hated the most.

Catching the rectangular thing in her hands, Maki smirked arrogantly. "What a troublesome girl. Do you want it?"

"Give it back," glared Kurumi at the blond girl.

"No," Maki replied with a glare of her own. As the two locked eyes, sparks could be seen forming between them.

While the two definitely immature girls were having a showdown against each other, Yuuri approached the orange-haired girl. For Miki, after she got away from dealing with Kurumi, went to check the titles of the books on the bookshelves as Ryuuko still busied herself cleaning the room with Yuki lying on the free beanbag.

"Um… Do you have working electricity here?" Asked Yuuri.

"That's right!" The glasses girl was the one to answer since Kurumi didn't play with her. "The electricity in this place still works!"

"It worked just fine at our school too," Yuuta informed her.

"Same as with our previous residence," Shuuya added.

"O-Oh? W-well…" she faltered at the response and tried to come up with another positive point. "That's not all… We get hot water here too!"

"We had that too… not that I used it much," answered Yuuta, which lowered the glasses girl's spirit.

"Yeah, there's hot water at our place too, though Maki-chan and Ryuuko-chan tend to spend much time inside the bathroom," Shuuya's words caused the girl's confidence to drop and she collapsed dejectedly with the quiet girl comforting her.

"The girls do that too, spending a long time in the bathroom," Yuuta strikes a conversation with his friend. "Same with Mum and Ruiko. I wonder why they do that anyways?"

"Perhaps to clean themselves better?" Responded Shuuya to Yuuta's question, both oblivious to the situation around them. "They do want to look beautiful after all and it does feel good to shower and soak our body inside the tub."

"I get you, but why the long periods of time? It's not like they worked that hard to equate themselves to an hour of bathing and relaxing? We too spend hours working and enjoy a good bath but in no way we do it like them?"

"Perhaps because they have more extra time than us? Or maybe because they know that we won't spend a long time in the bathroom and that allows them to take their time relaxing?"

"That sounds like a good explanation, but," Turning their gaze to the side, Yuuta and Shuuya stared at the girls in the room and both sighed. "Perhaps we will never know."

"All right then, everyone!" The orange-haired girl clapped her hands to gain everyone's attention. "First things first, let's learn a bit about each other."

"Okay~!" The others responded.

"Well then, have a seat," they all sat… on the beanbags which prompted everyone to relax and drove to sleep except for Yuuta.

"…Maybe we should go to a different room," he suggested.

Moving into another room, the group settled on the floor around a small circular table. Due to not enough space, Yuuta and Shuuya sat a little distance away from the table.

"Hmm, so shall we make an introduction, Rep?" The orange-haired girl suggested to the glasses girl.

"Oh! Ahem," she coughed into her hand before speaking. "I'm the circle representative, Dekuchi Touko. The Rep's job is to make sure that everything is fun, and that we do fun stuff!"

"Fun stuff?" Yuki repeated the word.

"Like 24-hour gameplay… or 24-hour movie watching… or 24-hour ice-cream eating!" Touko listed on.

Yuuta, Kurumi, Maki, Miki and Yuuri stared with disappointing eyes. "That's awfully unhealthy, especially the ice-cream part," Ryuuko helpfully pointed out.

"Does everyone have to follow the activities?" Queried Miki fearfully with the others hoping for a good answer.

"Nah, we're pretty lax about the stuff. You don't have to join if you don't wanna," Touko replied, much to the relief of others.

"And I'm Hikarizato Aki. Call me Aki," The orange-haired girl said. "This is Kirai Hikako, you can just call her Hika," she then introduced the black haired girl beside her. "She's our craftsman and repairman." The girl looked at them in acknowledgement. "You guys were the School-Life Club, right?"

Yuuri nodded. "Yes, we were, though now that we're in university…"

"We should change it to the Campus-Life Club, am I right?" Spoke Yuuta, suggesting a new name for the group.

Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki stared at Yuuta with a disappointed gaze. "Ya know, Yuuta. You really are similar to your ancestors in your naming sense," said Kurumi.

Yuuta looked confusedly at them and Yuuri decided to let the matter go. "Well then, my name is Wakasa Yuuri. I'm the president of the club." She began their introduction and pointed at each of her club members. "This is Ebisuzawa Kurumi," Kurumi shot her hand in the air with a grin. "Takeya Yuki," Yuki smiled and waved her hands energetically. "Naoki Miki," Miki nodded in response. "Kiriha Yuuta," smiling gently, Yuuta waved at them before yawning. "Akazawa Shuuya and Ryuuko," the brother put on a smile on his face while the sister threw her arms in the air happily. "And lastly, Subaru Maki," the girl's only response is an arrogant huff, displeased on being last.

"You guys really have many members, don't you?" Aki commented. "So, did anything happen at your school?"

Yuuri then took out a booklet, the one they found at their school, from her bag. "Well… here's this thing." She then pushed it towards the three older girls.

Reading a few of the pages, the trio gasped at the contents. "Wow… you guys found something really amazing." Remarked Aki as she flipped the pages.

"No wonder everything was so well-equipped," Hika spoke in awe.

"And at our own university no less," said Touko after the shock was gone.

"The Randall Corporation… sounds familiar."

"Should we go there sometime?"

"I don't think you want to go there," Yuuta interrupted Hika and Aki. "We've been there a few days ago."

Touko, Aki and Hika were surprised to hear that. "Really? What did you discover?" Aki questioned enthusiastically.

Yuuta's mood darkened as he gave his reply. "It was… unpleasant to say the least."

Noticing the poisonous tone in Yuuta's words and knowing why he's uncomfortable with the subject, Miki asked another question to distract them. "Excuse me… who were the guys who tried to attack us earlier?"

"Ah… thing is, they're not really bad people either," Touko answered while Aki nodded in agreement. "Started there wasn't any electricity so everyone was getting desperate. People began to get picked off one by one… and it was dangerous to stay that way. So those guys started to enforce strict discipline rules."

"Is that a… survivalist group?" Queried Shuuya.

"Yup… gathered all the people who could fight… but even if you're a little hurt, you were dangerous," Touko continued. "You saw back then, right?"

Kurumi and Miki glanced a little at Yuuta with Yuki by his side(when did she get there?), gripping his sword tightly. "Yeah…" they replied.

"But we didn't like that see," Touko resumed her explanation. "They said that if we had issues we should get out, so got out we did."

"Our group was too small… if it wasn't for Hika we wouldn't be here," remarked Aki.

"…That's not true," the girl muttered.

"Oh, that's right." Touko grabbed Hika's hand. "Once we left we had no food and water. Just when things were starting to get dangerous, Hika here," she lifted her hand and pointed at Hika. "Found the emergency generator and the underground food storage units."

"Is the electricity solar-powered?" Asked Yuuri.

"Yup. Since there are panels on the roof we figured they had to be connected somewhere," Touko answered.

"Anyways, things happened… We secured food, water and electricity… and we can also play games like this," added Aki.

"That's great and all, but can't you invite the other group to live here as well?" Maki complained indignantly.

"Well, that's certainly true… but once you've had a fallout it's hard to regroup," Aki responded.

Maki lifted her head up in pride. "That's because you don't know how to be diplomatic! Well, I shouldn't expect a bunch of misfit peoples to find a peaceful solution among themselves anyway."

Anger marks could be seen on Aki's and Touko's face, along with Kurumi's. "You're starting to get on my nerve, kid," Aki growled.

Quickly, Ryuuko shoved her hands between Maki and everyone. "Sorry, sorry, she's always like this. Don't take it too seriously I hope."

"Well then, now that's out of the way, why don't you peoples tuck in for tonight?" Touko suggested. "It's starting to get dark outside if I'm not mistaken."

The suggestion was met with agreement from the group and they began filing out of the room in search for their own living quarters. Before that, they made a short trip to the RV to move their belongings and supplies inside the building. Once finished, it's time to decide on where they're going to sleep for the night.

"This is mine!"

"No, this is mine!"

Of course, Kurumi and Maki were being their usual self and arguing about who get to have the room they're in front of.

"I picked it first!"

"No, I saw it first!"

"Well, I touched the door first!"

"But my hand landed on the handle first!"

As the two girls were shouting at each other, the other members had already chosen their rooms and currently carrying their stuff into their quarters.

"Alright! This is my room!"

Standing in front of her room, Yuki had just finished writing her name on the board. She also added a heart shape at the end.

"Being in a college is so cool! You get to have your own room to stay in!" Exclaimed Yuki excitedly.

Miki approached her and said. "You know senpai, just because you got a room doesn't you an adult by default."

"So you're… a junior, huh…" Hika came to them.

"Yes," Miki answered. "I'm a second-year and the others aside from Ryuuko-san and Maki-san are third-years."

"I see… how old are those two?" Questioned Hika.

Miki put a finger on her chin to think, but Yuki was the one to give a reply. "They're first-years in middle school."

"First-years… huh…" The older girl muttered.

"How do you know, senpai?" Asked Miki. "Did they told you?"

Yuki waved her hands. "Ah, no. Yuu-kun once said that Ryuuko-chan and Maki-chan are friends with his sister, and since he told me her age, I just assumed that they're of the same grade."

"Oh," Miki nodded after hearing Yuki's explanation. "Though, I'm surprised you can remember such facts."

"Mii-kun, don't underestimate me!" Pouted Yuki.

I'll be leaving now…" Hika spoke as she walked away. "Good night."

"Good night!" Yuki and Miki replied back. Then, they turned to see Kurumi and Maki still arguing about their rooms.

"Why do you insist on following me?!"

"I'm not following you! You asked me to pick another room so I picked this one! I say you're the one who followed me!"

"No, I'm not!"

"I'm not, too!"

Yuuta gazed at the scene and sighed. "Someone should really do something about those two." Inwardly, he continued. 'When Kurumi said that they don't get along I didn't expect it to be this bad.'

The arguing between the two intensifies until Miki and Ryuuko had to rein in their friend to keep them from tearing each other apart. Finally, Yuuri clapped her hands and offered a solution.

"Why don't you two share a room, then?"

Instantly, Kurumi and Maki froze and looked at her. Simultaneously, they shouted. "WHAT?!"

"Well, if you both don't want to relent to each other then I thought why don't two share the same room," Yuuri said with a gentle smile. "It'll also help the both of you to get along, no?"

"Uh-uh, I'm not sleeping in the same room as her!"

"Me too! As if I would want to sit close to this undeserving girl!"

Suddenly, Yuuri approached them and held their shoulders. The two tensed. Opening her eyes, she stared straight at them. "You will stay in the same room, or else. Am I clear?" She said while releasing a terrifying aura.

Kurumi and Maki trembled in fear and quickly nodded their heads. "Y-Yes Ma'am!"

"Good," Yuuri returned back to her usual demeanour. "Now then, why don't we all go to bed now? It's a long day after all."

And with that, Yuuri entered her room along with Ryuuko(they're sharing it, for 'companion' reasons) while Shuuya went into the room beside them. Miki opened the door to her room, which was between KurumiMaki's and Yuki's, after saying good night to everyone. Yuuta's room was opposite from Yuki's own and the two waved at each other before closing the door. Last but not least, Kurumi and Maki begrudgingly moved their things into their room while glaring daggers at each other… but stopped when Yuuri peeked her head from the room opposite them.

* * *

Inside The Crew's club room, Touko sat on one of the beanbags, staring emptily at the ceiling. Her mind was on today's events and the peoples that came. However, two knocks on the door interrupted her pondering.

"Yo!" The door opened to reveal Aki carrying a bottle of sake and cups with Hika behind her, several packets of snacks in her arms. Sitting on the floor, the three began to drink.

"I'm telling you, we didn't seem like adults at all~" exclaimed Aki with a hiccup, cheeks flushed. "And to have a middle-schooler clean this place for us…" she looked around her and the mess that they've created... again.

"Those kids must have suffered so much…" Hika muttered. "But they still move on regardless…"

"Yeah! And the fact that we were holed in here playing games is kind of…" Touko trailed off, but the other two knew what she meant.

"So, abolish the 'Fallen Crew'?" Said Aki.

Touko chugged her drink down before slamming it on the floor. "Yep! I'll do my best starting tomorrow!"

"Well… that's what we all have to do," Aki replied.

"…cheers?" Hika slowly raised her cup.

"Cheers!" The other two touched their cups together with her.

* * *

Inside his room, Yuuta was currently lying down on his sleeping bag. With eyes wide open, he stated at the ceiling, thinking about the events of that day. The university, that boy who attacked them, his group who chased them, the three girls who helped them, and their current situation generally.

Tossing on the floor, Yuuta realized that he probably couldn't sleep that night. Rising up, he grabbed his sword which lied beside him and inspected it. Taking a piece of cloth from his bag, he began to clean the sheath and blade.

Then, he heard a knock on his door. "Come in," he said, still focused on his sword. The door creaked open and he turned to see Yuki in her night clothes entering. "Yuki, what's wrong?"

Yuki fidgeted in her place before answering. "Err, Yuu-kun. Can I stay with you tonight?"

Yuuta was surprised to hear the words coming from her and immediately asked why. "Why? Is something troubling you?"

"No, it's not like that," she shook her head. "I'm just not comfortable being alone in my room, that's all."

"Oh…" Yuuta nodded in understanding. "Sure, you can stay here."

Yuki brightened at the answer and moved closer to Yuuta. He patted his sleeping bag, gesturing for her to use it. She complied and went inside, wrapping herself up with only her head peeking from the bag. Yuuta smiled at her and resumed the task of maintaining his sword while Yuki gazed at him.

Before long, Yuuta stood up and walked towards the door. "Yuu-kun, where are you going?"

Yuuta turned his head and faced her. "I just want to walk around the building for a while. I figured since I couldn't sleep I should explore the campus grounds a little. This is our new home after all."

"Isn't it dangerous?" Yuki asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, I can protect myself, and I'm not going to do anything dangerous. Just walking around," Yuuta assured his girlfriend.

"But… I'll be lonely here," Yuki said with a sad voice.

Walking back to her, Yuuta crouched down and placed Tamashiha beside Yuki. "Then here, I'll leave my sword with you. Just assume it to be me and you won't get lonely."

Looking at the sword, Yuki stared as Yuuta rose again and went towards the door. "Wait, Yuu-kun," she called to her boyfriend. Yuuta turned around once again and lifted his eyebrow. "Can I ask you for something?"

"Of course. What do you want?" Smiled Yuuta.

"I want a kiss…" Yuki said quietly, but in the stillness of the night, it was heard clearly by Yuuta. Her face turned red as she said that and she covered her face.

"Is that all you want?" Yuki heard Yuuta saying after a few seconds of silence. Removing her hands from her face, she saw him walking to her, face red just like her, and stopped beside her. Kneeling down, Yuuta brought her lips close to Yuki. She closed her eyes and prepared herself for the soft sensation on her lips… only to find none. Instead, Yuuta had kissed her forehead and not her lips which she had intended him to.

After the chaste kiss he'd given her, Yuuta looked at her and smirked. "What? You didn't say where I have to kiss you, right?" When he saw Yuki pouting at him, he whispered next to her ear. "I seem to remember that you don't like me to be in the initiative, so I'll let you start it… if you want of course."

Yuuta retracted his head… but a pair of hands suddenly darted towards him and wrapped itself around his neck, pulling him close to the person. Then, he found himself face-to-face with Yuki who quickly sealed her lips with him.

The kiss only lasted for a few moments before their lips parted away. Yuuta seemed to be in a daze while Yuki was in embarrassment over what he did. Nevertheless, she still found the courage to smile at Yuuta and asked him teasingly. "Do you like it, Yuu-kun?"

Snapping out of his daze, Yuuta grinned like a maniac and replied. "Yep! Now I have more reason to be careful and avoid danger." Patting Yuki softly on the head, he proceeded to the entrance for the third time. "Good night Yuki. Sleep well," he waved.

"Good night Yuu-kun. Be careful," she waved back. When Yuuta closed the door, she sunk inside the sleeping bag, giggling and smiling as she remembered the feeling of being in her boyfriend's grasp. Briefly, she wondered if they can do more than just kissing and holding hands. After that, she closed her eyes and drifted to dreamland.

Needless to say, she slept very well that night.


	11. Chapter 11: What Will You Learn Today?

Chapter 11 - What Will You Learn Today?

"Waahh…"

Yawning widely, Yuki woke up from her sleep. Lifting her upper body up, she rubbed her eyes and gazed upon her surroundings. She was in a room, which confused her for a second before she realises that she's at St Isidore's College with the rest of her friends.

Exiting the sleeping bag, her hand touched a long object that's lying at her side. Yuki looked at it and saw that it was a sword, not any sword but Yuuta's Tamashiha, The Sword That Reflects One's Soul. She wondered why the sword was in her room until he remembered that this was not actually her room. The previous night, he had asked Yuuta to sleep in his room for company since she doesn't like the feeling of being alone in her own room. She also remembered that Yuuta exited the room and left the sword as his replacement so she wouldn't be lonely. But what came to her mind after that was how she kissed Yuuta before he left.

Feeling her cheeks heat up at the memory, Yuki shook her head to dispel the image. Deciding that it's better if she went to her own room before the owner came back, she got out of the seeping bag, folding it neatly, and went to the entrance.

Peeking her head from the small crack she opened, Yuki quickly moved to her own room after making sure no one was in the hallways. Inside, she changed her sleeping clothes to her school uniform, wore her cat-shaped hat, and walked outside for breakfast.

Closing the door behind her, she found Ryuuko also coming out of her shared room. Yuki approached to greet her.

"Good morning, Ryuuko-chan!"

Ryuuko turned her head and saw Yuki. Smiling brightly, she replied the greeting. "Yuki-san! Good morning to you too!" Then, she added. "Did you just woke up?"

"Ah… eheh…" Yuki scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. "Yeah… but it's okay, right? I'm a college student now."

"You know, Yuki-san. I'm certain that college students need to get up earlier than highschool students," said Ryuuko while crossing her arms.

"Err… really?" Yuki asked doubtfully, not knowing how to answer. Thankfully, the door beside them opened, revealing Kurumi in her school uniform stepping out while carrying her shovel, with Maki close behind. The both of them seemed to be in a heated argument since they didn't realize the presence of Yuki and Ryuuko in front of them.

"I told you, it's not my fault that I ended lying on top of you!"

"Then whose fault is it?! Do you know how heavy you are?!"

"Then why did you have to sleep so close to me?! And I'm not heavy!"

"I deserve to sleep wherever I want! You can't order me!"

"Why you little bit-"

"Err… Kurumi-chan? Maki-chan?"

At hearing the voice, Kurumi and Maki turned to face Yuki and Ryuuko who's just standing in front of them with worried and fearful expressions on their faces. Immediately, the two grumbled a bit before turning their backs on each other.

"What's all the noise about?" A male voice was then heard by the girls. Behind them, Shuuya exited his room and approached them. "What are you girls talking about?"

"It's nothing, Onii-san," Ryuuko replied. "Kurumi-san and Maki-chan were just being their obnoxious self again and arguing."

"I'm not obnoxious!" Kurumi and Maki shouted at the same time. "The two then glared at each other. "Don't copy me!"

"Hey, why don't we all go to breakfast now?" Suggested Yuki since it was her original goal. "Aren't you all hungry?"

The sound of growling stomach was heard from the others, much to their embarrassment. Kurumi and Maki begrudgingly decided to keep silence for the moment while Ryuuko didn't bother to remove her brother's hand from her shoulder. Together, the group head out to find food, wherever the kitchen is.

* * *

"Oh, you've all come."

Yuuta stated obviously with a cracker in his mouth as Yuki, Kurumi, Shuuya, Ryuuko and Maki stumbled into the room, which was turned into a dining room by Yuuri and Miki. The newcomers grabbed a chair and sat near the table.

"Everyone, breakfast will be served shortly. I hope you wait for a little bit more," informed Yuuri while flipping the flat food in the pan. Miki was beside her, preparing the plates and brewing a jug of coffee.

"Oh, what are you all doing here?" In came Touko, Aki and Hika. "You're making breakfast? Can we have some?"

"Of course," Yuuri smiled at them. "I've prepared enough for everyone." With that said, she placed the food on the last plate. She and Miki then carried them over to the table and placed them in front of everyone's seat.

"Wooohhh! Pancakes!" Exclaimed the peoples sitting at the table.

As Yuuri and Miki sat on their chairs, everyone clapped their hands and said. "Itadakimasu!"

Immediately, they all gobbled up on their pancakes and the syrup dressing. As always, Yuki ate with gusto while Miki took small bites before marvelling on the taste. The others, meanwhile, ate normally with a little chat slipped in here and there.

Before long, everyone had finished their meal and sipping their coffee except for the younger ones who settled on hot chocolate. While Yuuri and Shuuya were cleaning the plates, Touko decided to start a conversation.

"Man, that was real good. We haven't had a cooked meal in forever, right, Aki?"

Aki finished her drink before answering. "Yeah, since we always eat junk food and drink beer. It's nice to eat something descent once in a while."

"You should always take good care of yourselves. That includes eating a healthy meal everyday," Ryuuko chided them. "It's a very important thing, you know?"

"Well, it's not really our fault," Touko defended herself. "It's a very busy life in college, doing this assignment and that assignment, taking part in clubs, hanging out with friends, studying, taking part-time jobs, we only have a small amount of time to eat, much more eating something healthy."

"Also… we can't cook…" Hika spoke informatively.

"Hah! Then, why don't I teach you peoples to cook!" Maki stood up and puffed her(modest) chest out. "You should be thankful to have me volunteering to help you lot."

"Like I want to learn from you," Kurumi uttered out loud.

"I don't want to teach you either, you pigtails girl," countered Maki. "But I'm a very generous person, so I'll spend a little of my precious knowledge and time to teach you how to become a proper lady."

"Maki. Even if you say that, you don't actually come from a rich family, aren't you?" Yuuta questioned her. "So, to call yourself a proper lady is a bit of a stretch."

The others except for Ryuuko and Kurumi turned to Yuuta. "Really?"

"S-Shut up, Ruiko's Onii-san!" Shouted Maki as her face turned red. "Even if don't have a wealthy background, unlike you, I'm still the epitome of grace, loveliness, beauty and properness." Sparkles appear around her and a bright light shone from above as she collapsed on the ground dramatically, hands on the floor "Ah, I'm so fabulous that I'm too good for this world. Oh, who will save me from this cruel fate? Will he ever come to me?"

Yuuta, Kurumi, Miki, Touko, and Aki look unamused at the scene while Yuki, Ryuuko and Hika clapped their hands in amazement on the performance.

"That's enough, then." Suddenly, Yuuri came and hit Maki on the head lightly, resulting in the disappearance of the sparkle and the light. "If you want to hold a cooking class, you can do that, Maki-chan," Maki glared at her. "But I actually want to hold a teaching session for the other members."

Immediately, Maki's mood changed. "Oh. You want to hold a class then? I'm cool with that. If it's not too much of a bother I can join you too."

"All right, now that's decided, let's study hard for today." Yuuri clapped her hands together.

"But I don't wanna…" Kurumi protested lazily. "Can't we play some games for today?"

"Kurumi-senpai, it's importance to have some balance in our life," Miki stated to her upperclassman. "If you start playing games this early in the morning than I bet that you won't stop even when it's time for lunch. You can play games after you study first. Yuuta-senpai would agree with me. Right, Yuuta-senpai?" She looked to the seat beside Yuki and noticed no one's there. "Hey, where's Yuuta-senpai?"

"Oh, Yuu-kun went back to his room," informed Yuki. "He said he wants to stay in bed for a few hours since he didn't get any sleep last night."

"Oh, my! Is Yuuta-san still sleeping in irregular hours?" Ryuuko asked.

"That would explain why Kiriha yawns more frequently than before," added Shuuya.

"Yuuta-kun aside, let's go to another room now," Yuuri suggested. "He must be tired so he can be exempted from the class."

The others nodded and one by one they exited the dining room, leaving the three college girls inside.

"So…" Aki began. "What should we do today, Rep?"

* * *

Inside a room, several peoples were sitting around in their chairs with notebooks in their hands while a person was standing in front, writing something on the whiteboard.

"See, this is how you derive the formula from the equation. And this," using a long ruler, she pointed at another part of the board. "Is how you apply it properly and avoid some of the common mistakes made by other dumb peoples." Ruler in hand, she gazed at her students. "Remember this! Now, do those exercises that I've given you! And make it quick!"

"Yes!" Yuki, Miki, Shuuya and Ryuuko saluted at Maki and immediately went to work on the problems on the paper.

At the back, Kurumi whispered to Yuuri who's sitting beside her. "How did that brat ended up in charge?"

Yuri sweatdropped a little before replying. "Well…"

Yuuri scribbled something on the board. "This is how you write the word," she said.

"Wait, that's wrong," Maki suddenly interrupted her. "That's a double letter you used. The correct word only used one."

"Oh, is that true?" Looking back at the board, Yuuri realised that the spelling suggested by Maki does sound more natural. "You're right, Maki-chan. I didn't know that, truthfully."

At hearing this, Maki rose from her chair. "Then why don't I teach this class? I've already learned everything that I could from Onii-sama, so this kind of things should be a piece of cake."

"Well, if you want to…" Yuuri relented.

"…That's how it went," said Yuuri after she finished recalling the event.

Kurumi slumped on her desk, the questions on the paper making absolutely no sense to her. She then turned to Yuuri. "Ya know, Ri-san. It's time like this that I wished you were stricter."

Yuuri raised her eyebrow at the question, not knowing what she meant. Then, much to Kurumi's displeasure, Maki came over to her table and looked at her paper.

"Hmm, you only got two out of twelve right. That's worse than the pink haired girl and Ryuuko," Kurumi's eyebrow twitched at the implication of her being dumber than Ryuuko and Yuki, Yuki of all people. "Maybe you have to spend more time…"

"Wait a minute!" Kurumi shouted and glared at the person in front of her. "This is nothing like studying in college! It's different from highschool you know. We're supposed to have a… autonomy? Yes, that. We're supposed to think about what we want to study first before entering the class."

Maki put her hand to her chin, not disturbed by Kurumi's screaming, and thought for a while. "As much as I don't want to admit it, you're right, purple haired girl," once again, Kurumi grumbled at another nickname she'd been given. "I forgot about it, since Onii-sama hadn't thought about the matter either." Returning back to the front of the class, she addressed her students. "All right, then. All of you, make a report on what field you want to study in and submit me a report after you've finished."

"Oh oh! A report! Lika a university student!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Ugh…" Sighed Kurumi at the prospect of doing more work.

* * *

"And that's why you interrupted me from my nap? To write a report?" Yuuta spoke after Yuki explained why she woke him up from his peaceful a and much-needed sleep.

"Yes, that's why!" Replied Yuki. "Let's write a report together."

"No," Yuuta returned the report pad back to her. "You have to decide it on your own. I can't help you much with it."

Yuki clutched the book and pouted. "But you're supposed to be my boyfriend, Yuu-kun. Can't you help me?"

Yuuta shifted his eyes to avoid falling victim to Yuki's eyes again. "I can only help you once you've chosen a path that you want to take. The future that you desire. Think for yourself once in a while."

"The path that I want to take… The future…" Yuki drawled out as mind wandered on the subject. Then, her eyes fell on the necklace that Yuuta gave her on that day he confessed to her. Instantly, she knew what she wants.

"I want to be with you…" she uttered slowly but with resolve in her voice. "The future that I want is the future where you're by my side, and we're always together in our journey," her pink orbs stared at Yuuta. "Is that fine, Yuu-kun?"

Staring back at Yuki, Yuuta showed her a little smile. "That's what I want too, and I couldn't wish for anything more than that," he took Yuki's hand and held it tightly. "But even though I despises it, there will be days where I won't be near you, days where we might get separated, and days where fate will tear us apart," his grip tightened. "That's why, I don't want you to be too dependant on me. I want you to be able to do many things by yourself without me helping, skills that are beneficial to you and our friends, knowledge that you can pass on to others, and strength to protect yourself… and me," withdrawing his hands, his smile turned into a grin as he patted Yuki's head. "So, can you do it, Yuki?"

"Don't underestimate me, Yuu-kun," Yuki replied after her initial shock disappeared. "I'll show you how good I am!" She said as she pumped her hands in the air. "Also… I'll protect you too when the time comes."

"Of course, I appreciate that," rising up from the floor, Yuuta held his hand for Yuki to take. "Because together, nothing can beat us."

Yuki accepted the hand and stood in front of him. "Yes!"

"Good! Now go write your report outside," Yuuta said as he pushed Yuki to the door. "I still need my nap."

"Ehhh," Yuki protested before she ended up outside the room and the door immediately closed behind her. "Yuu-kun, you meanie!" She pouted. Not hearing any response, she headed inside her room.

* * *

"Hey, why don't we go write our report in the library?"

Ryuuko and Yuuri perked their heads up at Miki's suggestion. The three of them were currently in the dining room, sitting around the table with the report pad in front of them. Yuuri and Miki had pens in their hands, trying to find an idea on what to write while Ryuuko was… well… she gave up on writing a few minutes ago and began fiddling with a piece of cloth and a sewing kit that she procured from her pockets.

"My, that's a great idea, Miki-san," proclaimed Yuuri.

"But why~?" Ryuuko whined suddenly. "Libraries are boring~, right?"

Miki gasped at the words that came out of Ryuuko's mouth. 'To think, that someone would actually call them boring,' she thought inside, but the words that came after shocked her even more.

"After all, they're full of so many dusty books and books without pictures and other dull things. Only a desperate person would enter the place," added Ryuuko, oblivious to Miki's darkening mood.

Ryuuko-chan, you shouldn't call them like that," Yuuri advised her as she saw Miki reaching towards something beside her. "It's not nice to do that."

"Yes, I know," Ryuuko responded somewhat guiltily, and Yuuri started to sigh in relief. Too bad she never got the chance. "But the place is so boring, and scary, and dark, and quiet, and dull, and… have I mentioned boring?"

"Yes you have…" replied Miki who had taken her sword out of the sheath. "And if I heard you say that word again when describing the library or the books inside, I will make sure you regret it. Understand?"

Ryuuko watched fearfully as the blade was pointed at her. "I-I was just kidding, Miki-san! Of course, I would love to go to the library and read oh the many exciting books inside. After all, who doesn't like them? Hahaha…" she laughed nervously.

"Let's ask someone for direction, then," Miki placed her sword back into the scabbard. She then exited the room followed by Yuuri and a slightly afraid Ryuuko.

* * *

"Library? Yes, that's good."

Aki spoke when Miki, Yuuri and Ryuuko knocked on her door and asked about the status of the library. "Just follow the directions pasted on the wall and you'll soon arrive there."

"Thank you," Miki bowed to her.

"If you're going to go, though," Aki spoke again. "Be careful of Master."

The three girls stared confused at her. "Master?"

A few minutes after, the small group arrived at the university's library. The interior was dark and scary(much to Ryuuko's displeasure and protest) so Miki took out a flashlight from her backpack to light their path. Yuuri and Ryuuko followed closely behind.

"It really is dark and scary in here," Ryuuko complained. "I want to clean this place up a bit but I'm not sure I can withstand this dusty place." She looked to her right and added. "And don't you've got the feeling that someone's watching you from the shadows?"

"Ryuuko-chan, that's not funny," scolded Yuuri. "There's nothing wrong with this place, and I'm sure there's nothing scary lingering in the dark."

"Actually, Ri-san," Miki raised her hand. "I do sense some presence when I entered. Though I might be wrong and it's just my nerves."

As the trio continued their walk, they heard some sounds coming from their left side. Turning to that direction, a hand suddenly landed on Miki's and Ryuuko's shoulder along with a cheerful voice.

"What are you doing?"

The scream that came from the girls could be heard by the undead outside.

"I see, you already met Touko."

Currently, Miki, Yuuri and Ryuuko were conversing with the person who startled them. She was a woman with short, wavy pink hair which covers her left eye. She wears a normal white shirt and black pants.

"Yes…" Miki stopped, not knowing her name.

"Ryougawa Rise. Call me Rise," the woman helpfully introduced herself.

"Do you live here, Rise-san?" Questioned Yuuri.

"I go back to eat food, but I'm normally here."

"Why would you want to live in here?" Ryuuko voiced her thoughts. "Do you like these books so much?"

Rise chuckled lightly. "Well, it is my dream to read eery book in this library." The trio nodded. "For me, I want to read all the cool books in the world," touching the books on the bookshelf affectionately,she resumed. "It suffocates me, when I think there is a cool book I haven't read yet." Miki, Ryuuko and Yuuri stared at her. "But you see, no matter how much I read, new books always come out." Still staring, the three girls stood there. "So I am a little relieved," Rise then turned herself from the bookshelf and spread her arms, a bright shine came from above and feathers of light fell from the ceiling. "What I meant to say is, there won't be more books, right?"

Ryuuko shielded her eyes from the brightness while Miki and Yuuri watched the scene with passive faces. "It's a good time for people who like books," Rise grinned at them.

A little more waking and the four arrived at another section of the library. "Here, you should find something useful in this area."

"Call me when you are finished," Said Rise while touching Miki's shoulder. "Ah, yes…" Replied the white-haired girl uncomfortably.

As the woman left them, Ryuuko decided to speak up. "See, libraries are scary, and they make people who stay too much in them a little…" she struggled to find the polite word. "Unhinged…"

"Ryuuko-chan, it's not good to speak badly of others like that," Yuuri scolded her again. Looking to her side, she saw Miki putting her fingers on her chin as if thinking about something deep.

"No… that's not it," said Miki cryptically to herself.

* * *

"Hmm… I can't think of anything to write," with a pen between her upper lip and nose, Ryuuko spoke of her frustration.

After leaving the library with several reference books, Yuuri had pulled Ryuuko into their shared room to make sure she completes her report and had confiscated her other items to achieve that goal. The girl obviously protested but after a staring showdown gave up and picked her report book and pen once again. Meanwhile, Miki had retreated into her room hurriedly to write her own report.

"You just have to think harder, Ryuuko-chan," said Yuuri.

Seemingly giving up on the task, the little girl set down her pen and lay down on the floor, her face facing the ceiling. "I can't help it! I'm just a middle-schooler! I'm not smart like Maki-chan or Ruiko-chan! I'm just a normal middle school girl! These kind of things are too hard for me!" Whined Ryuuko.

Yuuri sweatdropped on her roommate's behaviour. She paused from her writing and went over to Ryuuko, sitting next to her. "Well then, why don't you write something simple? Like your ambitions, your hopes for the future, and things like that. We've done something similar before."

Ryuuko closed her eyes as she began to think. "Hmm… I don't think I have any ambitions, apart from being a simple housewife. As for the future… well, I do hope the world get better."

"Isn't there anything else aside from that?" Yuuri asked.

Shaking her head, Ryuuko rose from the floor and sat cross-legged across Yuuri. "What about you, Ri-san? What do you want to do in the future?"

"I… just want to take care of everyone in the club. That's all I want for now," answered Yuuri. "Though, just like you, I too want to marry a nice man, have some children, and enjoy a good and long life."

"Hehehe, a good and long life. That's so fairy tale-like," Yuuri blushed at Ryuuko's words. "You know, I kind of admire you, Ri-san. You're so mature-like, kind, friendly, responsible, pretty, and have a nice body to boot. Compared to you I'm…" she touched her chest to demonstrate her point. With a sigh she added. "I'm not like Ruiko-chan who's very pretty and smart that guys fell for her left and right, or Maki-chan, who's intelligence made other peoples apart from Ruiko-chan look inferior and had a decent amount of people admiring her even with her superiority complex. Compared to them, I'm no one special," rubbing the back of her head, she chuckled. "I guess that makes me the Yuuta-san among my friends, huh?"

Then, Yuuri unexpectedly hugged Ryuuko, which of course surprised her. "Ryuuko-chan, don't belittle yourself," she said. "Even though I'm flattered that you thinks so highly of me, you must remember that everyone have their own strengths and weaknesses. There must be something that you're good at, am I right?" The girl in her arms nodded. "Then, you just need to improve yourself, think further, and become a better person than before," giving a gentle squeeze, Yuuri released Ryuuko from her hug. "And, I also view you like my little sister, so you can come to me if you have any problems afterwards, okay?"

"Thanks, Ri-san. I feel slightly better now," smiled the redhead, before she clapped her hands joyfully. "Ah! But there is a way for you to be my big sister."

Question marks appeared above Yuuri's head. "How?"

"You can marry my brother!" Ryuuko said bluntly and cheerfully, which would have made Yuuri spurted her drink if she was drinking. "You're just his type, after all."

"R-R-Ryuuko-chan! What are you saying?!" Shouted Yuuri, her voice a mixture of panic and embarrassment, as with her face. "And what do you mean I'm just his type?"

"Oh, that's related to his 'secret', which only Yuuta-san and I know. Do you want to hear about it?" Her voice was as if she's telling her a gossip rather than talking about her brother. "Well?" Ryuuko quirked her eyebrow.

As she expected, Yuuri gave in to her curiosity and nodded. Grinning widely, she uttered one sentence. "My brother's a pervert!"

To say Yuuri was confused would be an accurate description of what she looked like. Opening her eyes, she asked Ryuuko for clarification. "What do you mean that Shuuya-kun is a pervert?"

"It means exactly as I said. Onii-san is a pervert, and a massive one at that," standing up, Yuuri watched as Ryuuko went towards her bag and pulled out of it a book. Walking back towards her, she showed her the cover. "See, this is the things my brother likes to read at home."

It was a porn magazine.

A porn magazine with a picture of a big-breasted woman on the front.

A big-breasted woman with long brown hair and green eyes, posing lewdly only scantily clad in a small bikini.

Immediately, Yuuri covered her eyes and retreated away from the book. "R-Ryuuko-chan! Put that magazine away! Where did you get it anyway?"

"What, you're freaked out just from the cover? I haven't even shown you the contents yet," Yuuri could hear her flipping the pages. "And I secretly took this book from my brother. He had a lot of these things in his previous room. I also think that this is one of his favourites since the pages look more crumpled than the others," peeking one eye from her hands, she saw Ryuuko placing the book at her side. "But~ if you don't want to read it, I understand. Any normal girl would react like that if they were suddenly shown that."

Opening her eyes back, Yuuri put on a stern look. "Ryuuko-chan, that's not very good of you to take away Shuuya-kun's things, even if it were that… book."

Unfortunately for Yuuri, Ryuuko doesn't seem to be affected by her glares, just like her brother. "It's fine, he has a lot more after all. I'm sure he wouldn't notice one missing from his collection. What d'you think he's doing in his room right now?"

"What he's doing…" Yuuri's mind wanders towards the implications which result in her face turning a very dark shade of red. Quickly, she shook her head to remove the thoughts. "I-I must say that I'm very surprised by this… information," she spoke after her thought process returned to normal. "Shuuya-kun doesn't seem like that kind of person."

"I know, Onii-san is so perfect-looking at school, what's with being one of the most popular guy, ace striker of the team, his gentlemanly behaviour and his good looks. I'm not surprised that many girls want him to be their boyfriend," then, Ryuuko sighed. "He's not always like that though. I remember when I was little that he was just a normal, nice, boring boy who spent his time playing with Yuuta-san and Sakaki-san. No specialties, no overly kind personality, no whatsoever. Then, he suddenly changes at the end of elementary school. He became extremely hardworking to the point that I could see his stress and frustration even when I was just a little girl. I think maybe that was when he took up reading these things as a way to vent out his stress. Honestly, I'm repulsed by his change and more so since he didn't tell me the cause of it. But still, I kept his secret from others because I know how damaging it would be for his reputation if people found out about his unpleasant side. He's still my big brother, you know?"

After hearing her speaking so lengthy about her brother, Yuuri smiled gently and patted Ryuuko on the head. "You're a good girl, aren't you, Ryuuko-chan?"

"Yes, I'm aware of it, though I can be feisty when I need to," grinned the little girl. Then, she added. "I hope you don't hate Onii-san after this. I just want him to find someone that he can bare his heart out and won't judge him just from what he looks like on the outside, but also on the inside."

"There's no reason for me to hate him," Yuuri replied her. "Even if he has an unpleasant side, he's still a nice guy, is he not?"

Ryuuko smiled at the words and immediately asked another question. "Then does that mean you will marry my brother?"

The flush returned to Yuuri's cheeks at the inquiry. "Hold on, Ryuuko-chan. We just met a few days ago. I don't think it's appropriate to marry someone you just met. We don't know that much about each other after all," she added more in a low voice. "I'm not Yuki-chan."

"Then let me tell you more about him!" Exclaimed Ryuuko. "I'll tell you everything I know about him, and then, you can tell me all about yourself so I can tell him." Yuuri twitched a little at the plan, but Ryuuko noticed it and immediately stared cutely at her.

"You wouldn't mind, won't you?"

* * *

Inside the dark corners of the campus library, Rise sat on a couch with a book in her hands. In front of her on the floor was her sleeping bag and facing the wall beside her was a table with a lamp on top illuminating the small space.

Flipping another page, she saw Miki coming from the corner of her eyes. "You came again," she closed her book. "What is it?"

"This…" Miki held a stack of papers in her hands and showed it to her. "Please take it."

Rise accepted and flipped through the pages. "Did you make this?"

"Yes. I borrowed the photocopy machine," answered the whitehead.

"Graduation album," putting a finger on her chin, Rise thought about the book's placement. "Is it part of 915 Japanese Literature Diary Letter Travel?" She turned to Miki. "Yeah. Thank you, I will read it."

"Look," Miki suddenly spoke. "I like books. I want to read new books too. I wish that there were more books."

Rise stared at Miki before turning her eyes to the page in front of her, a picture of Miki pasted on the paper. "Yes, I'm curious to see what's next."

"It's only one volume. I want to read lots more."

"For that… there must be more writers. The population has to increase first," uttered Rise. "Then the food must be safely supplied and then there's hygiene and education… It's civilisation revival. But won't it be difficult?"

"Yes, but that's the book's purpose," Miki spoke of her opinion. "Ah, I'm sorry. I feel like I was bragging." She then apologised.

"No, I enjoyed it," Rise grinned.

"Well then, excuse me," Miki bowed and walked away.

"Take care," waved the older girl before looking back towards her new book. "That's the book's purpose."

* * *

The day had turned to night and the members of the newly-named Campus-Life Club retreated to their own rooms after showering and having dinner. As with the previous night, Yuki entered Yuuta's room to sleep, only to have him leaving later for patrolling. Due to the information dump received by Yuuri from Ryuuko earlier that evening, her interaction with Shuuya turned really awkward for her part, despite her not wanting to. Miki picked a new book to read from the library and Ryuuko went back to doing something with a new piece of cloth. Meanwhile, Kurumi and Maki avoided each other like cats and dogs, which is not a good idea when they share the same room.

Currently, the two of them were lying on the floor in their sleeping bags, their distance as far away as possible from each other in their not so spacious quarters. They were also looking away from the other person, or at least Kurumi was since she couldn't see her roommate's face.

Suddenly, Maki spoke. "Hey, purple haired girl."

"What?" Replied Kurumi with contempt. "And I have a name, you know. It's Ebisuzawa Kurumi."

"If you didn't notice already, I'm bad at remembering names," the blonde gave her reason, which did not make sense at all for Kurumi considering the girl can remember facts and information perfectly but not her companion's name? Yeah, not possible. "Yeah, it's true," Maki said again in the silence. "I only remember the names of my parents, Onii-sama, Ryuuko and Ruiko. And Shuuya-san only entered the list because Ryuuko urged me to, but that's not relevant." Turning to her right, she stared at Kurumi. "I want to know, did Onii-sama said anything to you in his final moments?"

Hearing the question, Kurumi was shocked beyond words. After a few seconds, she recovered, only to fall into panic when she realised that Maki somehow knew that Sakaki spent his last seconds of life with her. "W-Wait, how did you know Subaru-kun was with me when he died? No, moving back, how did you know he is dead anyways?"

"The signs are too obvious," Maki sighed and reached for an object in the pocket of her pajamas. It turned out to be a smoking pipe. "First, the fact that Onii-sama didn't come to me immediately when this all happened means only two things; one, he was staying with another group of people in a dangerous area, or two, he fell victim not soon after the incident from being too nice for his own good," she then neared the pipe to her mouth, but no smoke actually came out. "If we're going by the first option, then he must have been with you in the group since you are, though I loath to admit it, his girlfriend. And if we go by the second choice, for the same reason he should be with you when he left this world. But, since I don't see him around with you and Ruiko's Onii-san doesn't say anything about him, I'm going to assume that my second hypothesis is correct and he died in the early days of the incident, perhaps even the first day. Well, not that it matters," inserting the pipe back to her pocket, she sighed again. "He's already gone now."

"You're entirely correct," muttered Kurumi, her gaze to the ceiling. "Subaru-kun did die on that first day when he helped people but got injured instead. He died in my arms, well sort of…" she declined to told Maki that she was the one who killed her brother. "But anyway, you took the news surprisingly well. I thought you admired him greatly, don't you?"

"Yes, and I still do. But, as the days passed my hopes began to dwindle fast due to me being aware of the possibilities and chances of him being alive. That's one of the disadvantages of being too smart, you ceased to believe in hopes and miracles." Shaking her head, she stared at Kurumi. "But that's not what I asked earlier, right? I asked you what were his last words. Can you tell me?"

Closing her eyes, Kurumi tried to recall what Sakaki said to her in the final moments where he is still sane and hasn't turned into 'them'. "What Subaru-kun last said was… 'Is it over already?' …I think?"

"Really, Onii-sama? Of all the things to say that's what you choose?" Maki remarked. "I'm quite disappointed. I'm going to sleep now." With that said, she turned away from Kurumi and went to sleep.

'Geez, what's with her? Acting all serious one second then turning uncaring the next, she's really weird,' sinking into her sleeping bag, Kurumi quickly dozed off.

Unknowing of the sobs of her roommate.


	12. Chapter 12: Confrontation, Recap, Sports

Chapter 12 - Confrontation, Recap, Sports

As the Sun's ray shined through the window of St Isidore's College, a lone male walked in the hallway. A sword by his side, he stepped unhurriedly as he brought his hand to cover his mouth. Blinking twice after yawning, the boy's body strode forward, following his feet to wherever it wanted to take him.

Turning right, he spotted two women heading towards him. Recognising them, he called their names.

"Touko-san. Aki-san. Good morning."

Hearing their names being called, Touko and Aki greeted back at the boy. "Ah, Yuuta… right?" Said the one wearing glasses. "Didn't expect to see you this early."

"What are you doing out here?" Aki asked.

Shifting the weight of his backpack to one shoulder, Yuuta replied. "Ah, nothing. I'm just exploring the campus building, walking around, trying to make sure there's nothing dangerous nearby, that kind of things," he then yawned again.

"Did you spent the entire night awake?" Yuuta nodded in which Aki eyed him strangely. "Woah, you're one tough guy." She neared him and elbowed slightly at his side with a grin. "It's a shame you're taken by that Yuki girl, though, otherwise I wouldn't mind being with you."

"I wouldn't mind either," Touko entered the conversation. "Same with that other guy… Shuuya, was it? Yeah, he's one hunky guy, and you could tell from his looks alone that he's popular with the girls," staring at Yuuta, she queried. "He's still single, right?"

Yuuta looked slightly uncomfortable about being the subject of conversation with his friend between the two older girls. So, he tried to find a way out by asking them a question. "Putting that matter aside, where are you two going?"

"We're going to talk with 'them'," answered Touko.

"'Them'?" Yuuta repeated the word confusedly.

"The Melee Fight Crew," Aki explained.

Nodding in understanding, Yuuta doesn't seem surprised at the statement. "You can talk with them? I didn't know that."

"There's a room between our rooms. It's in a neutral area," Touko told him. "Sometimes, they would call us for some discussion or sharing informations."

"Is that so?" Massaging his neck, the boy with the sword said bluntly. "Can I join you guys?"

Touko and Aki didn't expect the question and seemed a little reluctant to comply. "Are you sure?" Aki asked. "Even if it's true that it is a neutral area, there's still a chance that they will try to hurt you if you meet them. And even if they don't, they'll try to recruit you into their group whether you like it or not."

Unexpectedly for them, Yuuta suddenly laughed. After a minute, his laughter died down and he smiled. "Touko-san, Aki-san. Pardon my rudeness but I don't think you should worry much about me. I can take care of myself just fine. You saw on my first day here, right? I'm perfectly capable of defending myself and others, I won't be standing here if I'm not," then, he chuckled lightly before smiling. "Also, as if they could persuade me away from my friends, especially Yuki. Yeah, good luck with that."

"I… see…" Aki muttered quietly. "However, I still think that it's safer if you bring another representative. Not only for your own safety, but also for ours."

"Alright then," Yuuta agreed. Just then, a certain Akazawa sibling stumbled upon the three at the hallway.

"Oh. Good morning, Kiriha, Touko-san, Aki-san," the person greeted. "What are you all talking about?"

"Good timing, Shuuya," suddenly, Shuuya had his shoulder held by Yuuta. "You'll do for this. Is that alright, you two?"

Touko nodded. "He'll do," then, she walked away, Aki following her. Dragging Shuuya by the hand, Yuuta trudged behind. As for Shuuya, he could only open his mouth in confusion over what he had gotten himself into.

* * *

"Why are they here?"

The question was delivered with clear contempt behind the voice. The owner twitched his eye slightly over the group of peoples in front of him. Two women were currently sitting at the other end of the arrangement of tables while two males we're standing quite conspicuously behind the two. Oh, and one of the guy carried a sword into the room, even though he leant it against the wall immediately after entering.

"They wanted to come, as representative of their own group," explained Touko to the leader of Melee Fight Crew, Togou Takahito, a man with short, slightly spiky blond hair and an attire that consists of a red t-shirt, black pants, and a leather jacket along with gloves. There are some piercings on his ears also.

"Are they safe?" Questioned the women beside him. She had long, straight violet hair with a head band, and sharp, grey eyes. He wears a white shirt with a green jacket over it and a long skirt. "They come from outside, didn't they?"

"You can ask them yourselves, if you want," Aki replied before another woman presented her and Touko with a cup of tea. Wearing a white shirt and black top underneath, she, as with the other two, had a turquoise coloured jacket on along with black shorts and long, white stockings. Her hair was long, straight and light-brown coloured which she tied in a side ponytail, while her eyes were light pink. "Thank you, Sino."

"Are you worried about our condition?" Spoke Yuuta, an uncharacteristic smirk on his face. "I don't think there's anything to worry about, as I'm sure I and my friend here are not in danger of turning into 'them' anytime soon."

"How can we be sure?" Takahito glared at him.

Yuuta laughed a little. "You can't. You just have to take my word for now."

The blond man stared at Yuuta for a second more before opening his mouth again. "Then leave you sword outside. This is a neutral space for a reason. There's not supposed to be any weapons in here."

"Oh, this?" Yuuta pointed at Tamashiha with the point of his shoe. "This is not just a weapon… this sword is also a part of me, one that I could not leave behind unless in the hands of those I trust. This blade," he picked the sword and showed it to them. "Is more valuable than your life."

Takahito and the woman next to him looked at Yuuta who still sported his disturbing smirk. "Whatever," spoke Takahito after a few tense moments. "That's not what we wanted to talk today."

"So, what business do you want to talk with us?" Asked Touko.

"You have some peoples over at your side," Takahito remarked.

"Isn't it unfair to take them all for yourselves?" Commented the violet haired woman.

Aki folded her arms in irritation. "Why should you care? Isn't it wrong for you to fire an arrow at them in the first place."

"It didn't hurt anyone, though," said the man.

"Isn't that because I blocked it?" Lazily, Yuuta countered.

Takahito sighed. "I'll punish Kougami later." The other group looked with scepticism before he spoke again. "Look, if we did something wrong then I'm sorry. But can't we put that in the past and start again? If you don't want to share peoples then it's fine, but at least you can share supplies and information with us, right?"

"Our supplies are ours, we'll share it if we feel like sharing. But if you want information," with a swipe of his hand, Yuuta threw a booklet at the duo across the table. "Then you can have that thing."

Catching the booklet with one hand, the older guy felt curios and started flipping through the pages with the woman beside him peering the contents. Finally, he placed the document on the table and slumped in his chair, a look of shock on his face. "I can't believe it."

"Hey, Yuuta," Touko turned towards the boy. "Why did you give them the manual?" She shout-whispered.

"It's okay, Touko-san. I've already read it many times before. Plus, I don't believe we need it anymore," replied Yuuta.

"What is this…" Uttered Takahito slowly. "WHAT IS THIS?!" he repeated as his fist hit the table, rage clear in his voice. "Biological weapons? You mean to tell me all of this is just an experiment? Don't mess with me!"

"Where did you get this?" The violet haired woman asked, her tone still indifferent like before.

Closing his eyes and taking a light breath, Yuuta answered cooly. "We found it at our school. It was well-equipped and well-powered, just like this university. However, most of the equipment were wrecked after an incident. That's what caused us to venture out for other places to settle on. On a related note," he then placed his arm around Shuuya's neck and pulled him closer. "Shuuya here and his two companions came from another building, one that's also built to prepare for this situation but smaller. We've also encountered another one in our travels."

"So… there really are other survivors out there," said the other woman, who's name is Uhara Sino. "Then, doesn't that mean someone will come to rescue us eventually?" She asked Yuuta with a loud voice.

"Sino" spoke the other female member sternly.

"Sorry…" Sino hid her face with the tea tray, embarrassed about her outburst.

For some reason smiling at the question, Yuuta gave his reply. "Unfortunately, I have no answer for that. However, if you want some real explanation, you can go to the other place marked on the map, the Randall Corporation Building. That is, if the person who created this hellish world want to answer you."

"You've met him?" Kamiji Ayaka, the woman with violet hair spoke with mild surprise.

"Yes."

Suddenly, Takahito stood up and glared at Yuuta. "Tell me… Tell me… TELL ME WHO IS IT THAT CAUSED ALL OF THIS?!"

"It was my father," without emotion, Yuuta replied. "It was my father who unleashed this hell on humanity, a bastard of the highest level, wrecker of household and killer of his own family. That's what my father is right now."

All the occupants of the room were shocked and surprised after hearing the words that came out of Yuuta's mouth, most affected being Shuuya. "That can't be… Mr Kiriha is…" he muttered in disbelief.

"You're saying, that your father was the one who released this… biological weapon that killed many peoples and destroyed society?" Yuuta nodded solemnly at Takahito's question. "Then, why don't you kill him!?" He pointed at the younger boy.

"Why, you ask?" Placing a finger under his chin, the black haired boy paced around his side of the room. "What do you think? Is it because he's my father that I let him go? Or is it because he had a reasonable excuse? Or that he is being controlled by another person to perform the deed? No. None of that is the reason why I don't kill him. The reason is that he is dangerous, as dangerous as me with no qualms to get rid of anyone that's obstructing him from his goal. The reason why I am still here is because I'm his son, but even that will not stop him from ending my life if I threatened his existence. He let me go once, he's not going to do it again. However, if you wish to meet him, feel free to do so, though I doubt you'll be able to survive."

"You bastard…" Takahito growled. "You dare look down on us?!"

Yuuta chuckled at the question, to the confusion of Touko and Aki. "Oh no, I didn't mean to do that. But your attitude is pretty much what most weakling would say."

"How dare you!" Jumping atop the table, the blonde man leapt towards Yuuta's figure, his right hand balled into a fist.

Moving fast, Yuuta blocked the punch with his sword. The moment the attack hit, he quickly pulled the blade from its sheath and aimed, not at the abdomen, but at the neck of his aggressor. The metal shimmered even in the windowless room. However, he stopped inches from actually touching the skin.

Snapping out of his rage, Takahito realised the predicament he's in and halted his movements. Glaring at the eyes of the boy who managed to bring him trouble, he maintained his fighting stance.

Suddenly, an ice pick and a folding knife appeared near Yuuta, both of them pointing at his neck. The holder of the weapons, Sino and Ayaka stared at him with pointed glares for the latter and a determined expression for the former.

"Don't do anything stupid," then, the two women of the Melee Fight Crew sensed a presence behind them. Shuuya, having equipped his spiked brass knuckles, was pointing his fist at the necks of Sino and Ayaka. "You don't want to get hurt, don't you?"

The five were in a stalemate with Yuuta, Takahito, Sino, Ayaka and Shuuya not moving from their position, waiting for the other to make their move. The other two, Touko and Aki, who are definitely not combatants, watched nervously as they feared for the worst. Seconds passed with a thick tension hanging in the air as no one dared to move a muscle, which ended when Yuuta opened his mouth.

"I think that is enough for now," he lowered his weapon, which prompted the others to also lower their own. Turning his back to them, he walked to the door. "I have other things to do than arguing with your group. Any confrontation would only end in useless harm." When he reached the door, he faced the room occupants again. "Just like you said, let's put everything in the past and start a new relationship. If you like that, then know that I'm open for discussion. Touko-san, Aki-san, if you want to talk about things, then you can find me at the dining room. Shuuya, let's go out now. Our business here is over for today." And with that, Yuuta exited the room with Shuuya tailing after him.

Staring at the door with open mouths, Touko and Aki finally came back to their senses and the leader coughed lightly into her hand. "Ehem. That's enough for today. If there's nothing else to say, then I think we're done now."

"Wait," hearing a voice, the two women stopped in their tracks. "What is that guy's name?" Questioned Takahito.

"Kiriha Yuuta," Touko said simply before exiting the room with Aki.

* * *

"Ah, Yuu-kun! You're finally here!" Yuki exclaimed happily at seeing Yuuta enter the dining room. "You too, Shuuya-kun."

"What took you so long, Yuuta, Shuuya-san?" Kurumi said, breaking off briefly from staring at Maki. "The food's almost gone, you know."

"Don't get sad, though. I've set some aside for you two and Touko-san and Aki-san," stated Yuuri.

"Where exactly did you both go, senpai?" Questioned Miki, peeking from the book she's reading. "It's rare for you to intentionally miss any meals."

"Did the both of you find something interesting?" Ryuuko asked with glitters in her eyes. Also, there's a piece of cloth with several decorations on it in her hands like the previous times.

"To arrive this late, you two are definitely not a good role model for others," remarked Maki before resuming her staring battle with Kurumi.

Lazily, Yuuta walked towards one of the chairs and slumped down, not saying anything to the girls. Shuuya also did the same albeit he sat more politely and smiled when Yuuri placed the bowl of rice in front of him. As he began eating, Touko and Aki stumbled into the room.

"Yuuta!" Shouted Aki as she trudged forward and held Yuuta by the collar of his shirt, shaking him vehemently. "Why didn't you tell us earlier, that your dad was the one who killed the entire world?!" Well, so much for being subtle.

Opening his eyes, the heir of the Kiriha bloodline yawned before answering. "While I did say to come to me if you want to talk, I didn't expect it to be this early. Can't you let me sleep for a while first?"

"No. Not until you explain everything you know to us, thoroughly," Aki glared at him. "And everyone has to hear it."

"Wait, Aki-san, Yuu-kun. What's going on?" Yuki queried worriedly as she neared the two. "What are you two fighting about?"

Touko adjusted her glasses and answered for Aki's behalf. "Yuki, did you and the others know that Yuuta's father is responsible for releasing the biological weapon that destroyed much of humanity?"

"Yeah, of course, we do," Kurumi leant on her chair boringly. "Didn't we say we all went to Randall Corporation before coming here?"

"O-Oh, so you knew," Touko seemed a little surprised at the reply.

"Wait… Yuuta-san's dad… as in, Kenji-san?" Uttered Ryuuko, her face pure shock. "He… he's the one who…"

"You stupid brother of Ruiko!" Maki slammed her hand to the table. "Why didn't you tell this information to us?!"

"Ryuuko-chan, Maki-chan, calm down a little," Yuuri tried to placate the two youngsters. "We didn't mean to not tell you about it, we just forgot. Shuuya-kun, please tell them to-" turning around, she saw Shuuya's hands trembling as he tried to grip the rice with the chopstick.

"K-Kiriha… K-Kiriha… K-Kiriha…" the male redhead muttered with a shaky voice.

The chaotic scene continued with Aki and Maki shouting at a sleepy Yuuta, Yuki and Kurumi trying to separate them from the guy, Touko comforting a trembling Ryuuko and Yuuri similarly doing the same for Shuuya. That is, until a certain person grew annoyed with the situation and decided to put an end to it.

"ENOUGH!" Miki stood up as she slammed her book on the table, likely damaging it. "Yes, we know about the fact that Yuuta-senpai's dad was the one who initiated the chaos of this current world, and we've gotten over it. Just like what Ri-san said, we didn't mean keep it a secret from you all but we truly did forgot to mention the information, what's with trying to adapt to a new life and all. And I'm sure Yuuta-senpai will tell you everything he knows, if you all would just keep quiet for a minute!" Breathing hardly, she sat back in her seat when the others stared shockingly at her. Embarrassed for a bit, Miki his her face behind her book. "Sorry…"

"Aaahh~" surprisingly, Yuuta was the one who broke the silence. "I'll be in the room next door if anyone wants to find me." After he said that, the blue-eyes boy walked out of the room… before coming back immediately not a second later. "Also, if you want to talk to me, wait until I'm finished eating," remarked him before exiting the room, this time with a bowl of rice in one hand.

A few seconds pass by after Yuuta left the room and everyone was in silence… until Aki decided to speak up. "Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm definitely going after him for a good explanation."

"That is the better course of action it seems," commented Touko. "But like Yuuta said, let's get some food first before we hear him talk. We haven't eaten anything yet after all."

"Yes… let's," the taller woman agreed.

"Well, I don't have any obligations not of hearing his reasoning now, so I'm going after him right this moment," Maki spoke loudly. She then grabbed her friend's arm and dragged her outside the room. "Come on, Ryuuko. We're hearing the whole story from him whether he want to or not."

Understandably, the redhead girl protested a bit at her friend's insistence. "Maki-chan, wait! You don't have to pull me so hard!" Sadly for her, her words fell on deaf ears.

For Shuuya, the only guy in the room, he just kept quiet and resumed eating his food albeit calmer now that Yuuta's not in the room and Yuuri's presence calming him down. However, once he finished the meal, he quickly(but politely) strode out of the dining room following in the Touko's and Aki's steps who finished their breakfast earlier than him. This leaves only Yuki, Kurumi, Yuuri and Miki relaxing in the room.

"Do you think Yuuta's going to be alright?" Kurumi finally decided to start a conversation with the other members. "The others seem really pissed at him."

Yuuri paused from her dishwashing and turned around. "I'm not sure about them, but I do believe Yuuta-kun will explain what they wanted to know clearly to them and everything will be fine in the end."

"Yeah, because Yuuta's such a good explainer, right?" Remarked Kurumi sarcastically.

"I'm a little worried about Yuu-kun though," spoke Yuki. "Just a little bit."

"That's obvious enough. You've been squirming in your seat for a while now, senpai," Miki commented, her eyes still fixed on the pages.

Suddenly, Yuki brought her hands to the table. "Ne ne, why don't we do something fun today? You know, like we previously did at school?"

The other three girls looked at her inquisitively at the proposal. "What do you suggest we do, Yuki-chan?" Asked Yuuri.

"Hmm… why don't we," Yuki folded her arms as she tried to come up with a good idea. Then, it came to her. "Aha! Let's have an athletic meet in the courtyard."

"Athletic meet? Ya mean like the sports day we had before when Miki first joined?" Kurumi questioned.

Yuki nodded. "Yeah yeah, like that! But this time we're playing outside instead of inside the building. You know, being out in the sun and all."

"That's a great idea, Yuki-chan," Yuuri clapped her hands delightfully. "However, we should ask someone first whether it really is safe going out of the building."

"Who should we ask for that?" Miki wondered aloud.

Just then, a person peered into the dining room. Her black hair framing her face, she said with a low voice. "Umm… is Touko and Aki… here?"

"Ah, Hika-san!" Exclaimed Yuki, surprising the woman a bit. "It's good that you're here! Come on in!" She then dragged her into the room.

"Do you want anything to eat. Hika-san?" Yuuri inquired in which Hika slowly shook her head. "Perhaps you would like a drink?"

"… Yes, please," the woman replied. Shifting uncomfortably in her chair, she looked at the other members staring at her. "…What is it?"

Miki closed her book and decided to answer her question, more to save her from Yuki's and Kurumi's loud voice. "Yuki-senpai suggested that we have an athletic meet today at the sports grounds, but we don't know whether it is safe to go there or not."

"Ohh…" Hika nodded in understanding. Then, she rises from her seat and went towards a whiteboard on one side of the room. Picking a marker pen, she began to draw what looks like a simple map of the building and its surroundings.

Finishing, she faced her audiences… and took a deep breath before speaking. "…This is what our school… is like…" she pointed at the arrow showing the direction of the school gate. "The wall is high… and we always check the barricade… so, they will not come from outside,"

"Then, inside the school is safe?" Miki raised her hands.

Hika nodded, then took the marker pen and crossed out two buildings, one labelled 'C' for Chemistry Room and another smaller one between the Chemistry Room and the shared grounds of the A building(for The Crew and Campus-Life Club) and B building(for the Melee Fight Crew). "… Don't go to these place. They're… dangerous."

"What's over there?" Asked Kurumi.

"We haven't… cleaned the Chemistry Room. Only blocked the exit. As for the other one…" she paused a bit before answering. "They're graves…" The four girls silenced at hearing that. "Well… don't go there."

After finishing her explanation, Hika sat and drank a cup of coffee that Yuuri made. She left afterwards, saying she had some things to do. This, again, left Yuki, Kurumi, Miki and Yuuri by themselves in the dining room.

Of course, this time they're not entirely silent.

"Do you think we can set some obstacles for a hurdle run?" Kurumi inquired.

"Maybe we can. There's bound to be some equipment we can use in the sports shed," replied Yuuri.

"How about a tug of war? Can we play that?" Yuki asked excitedly

"There are only two guys here and the rest are girls, so I don't think it's possible," Miki gave her opinion. "And Yuuta-senpai doesn't seem to be that strong compared to Shuuya-senpai."

"That's certainly true. Shuuya-kun does have a quite, apparent, muscular body," Yuuri supported the idea.

"Wah! Mii-kun, Ri-san. That's blasphemy!" Shouted Yuki dramatically. "We all know that Yuu-kun is the best around here."

"Wait, how did you know that word?" Kurumi remarked on Yuki sudden usage of an uncommon word.

"Oho~ do you wanna bet, Yuki-chan?" Yuuri looked at her pink haired friend with closed eyes. As the two glared at each other, the figure of a brown bear and a pink cat appeared in the background with lightning flashing between them.

Away from the two, Miki and Kurumi continued planning for the day's event while their two friends stared at each other with comedic tension.

* * *

"I'm tired."

Walking along the hallway with my sword by my side, I let out another sigh.

"I'm sleepy."

Trusting my instincts to guide me, I closed my eyes and took a breath that turned into a wide yawn.

"What a day."

As my feet moved me forward, I rewind back towards what happened an hour ago. After I grabbed my breakfast and went into the room next door, Maki and Ryuuko quickly entered before I could even take a bite. I could clearly tell that she was a little angry at me(yes, that is an understatement) while Ryuuko looked uncertain on how to act in front of me. For starters, I told them to sit as I finished the bowl of rice in record time(Yuki's behaviour must've been rubbing on me) which displeased the two little girls. After that, I began my tale, starting from the first day it all happened.

Of course, I omitted the part where I got humiliated by a round, spherical object and the part where I slept through most of the school(they don't need to know more about my laziness) and cut straight to when I woke up in my room. When I mentioned the fact that I was the one who stroke down Ruiko, Maki broke down in tears while Ryuuko unexpectedly surged forward and yelled at me through tearful eyes. I said nothing and let her shout at me all she want until the two calmed down. They deserve to know what happened and I deserve every bit of their hatred if they want. Actually, I'm also surprised that Touko and Aki, and later Shuuya made no mention of the loud noise. The rooms must've been soundproofed to an extent.

Anyway, as I was saying, after Maki and Ryuuko were no longer feeling bawling their eyes out, the two members of The Crew joined us and I resumed my story. Describing loosely about my travels during the time I was outside, Shuuya came in just as I mentioned how I met the girls(not including the embarrassing things that happened. Fast firwardsing the tale, I gave a brief summary of what happened in the school; have fun with the girls, teach Miki to wield a sword, telling Shuuya that Yuki's the girl he once mentioned, undeads invaded the school building, the equipment being destroyed, me getting infected, Yuki turning me(or at least my soul) back to normal, undead left the school due to Power of Friendship (I've always wanted to say that), and finally confessing to Yuki. I know the last part was kinda unnecessary but the look in Ryuuko's eyes told me it was necessary.

Then, came the next part about how we ventured into the world outside, encountering a little too late a fellow survivor who was turned into them not long before we arrived. Next came the most controversial part, namely when I and the girls went to Randall Corporation and met my father. Telling them the tale of my ancestors, they gasped in amazement at several parts of the legend… until I spoke of my father's revelation and his motive. Understandably Ryuuko becomes enraged again along with Aki while Shuuya adopted a thinking pose. When I told them my reaction to the exposition, Touko and Aki were impressed while Maki scolded me for being impulsive. After that part was over, I continued with how I met Shuuya, Ryuuko and Maki, largely to complete the tale of how we came here.

Thinking back, it's like I'm doing a recap of my own story. Perhaps I should write a book about this.

Finally, having finished telling them everything, I excused myself from the room to get to my room for some hard-earned sleep. And that's where I'm currently heading right now.

"Ah, Yuu-kun! Hurry up!"

But for some reason or another, I was ambushed by Yuki on my way there and she began to literally drag me by the hand towards who knows where. Furthermore, due to me still being sleepy, I couldn't muster enough energy to argue with her and just relented(well, that's not true. I still have much energy but arguing with her seems wrong to me) towards her whims.

Following her lead, we walked through the corridors until we reached the building's entrance. Stepping outside, Yuki still didn't let go of my hand and kept pulling me for some more until we arrived at a field, a sport's field to be exact. There, I saw that the other members, namely Kurumi, Miki, Yuuri and the rest were already there, including a woman who I haven't seen before but presumed to be the Rise person that Ryuuko mentioned yesterday during dinner. She looked as if she rather be anywhere else but here at the moment, not unlike me.

Releasing my hand as we joined our friends chattering, Yuki went to the front of the group and clapped to get everyone's attention. The others turned to her and, deciding to at least hear her idea on dragging me all the way outside, I remained at my position.

"Okay, everyone!" Exclaimed Yuki. "May I have your attention, please!" They were already looking at her so the line was not really necessary. "Welcome to our athletic meet!" I'm not actually surprised at the reveal, mainly because I've seen out of the corner of my eyes several sports equipment arranged on the field and around it. However, I knew for a fact that I would become very tired at the end of this day. I could tell that some of the others are also showing slight signs of protest. "Me, Ri-san, Kurumi-chan and Mii-kun had planned and prepared the settings for this event." ("You don't actually do anything much, Yuki-senpai," said Miki before Kurumi elbowed her. "Just let her be for today.") "We've worked really hard so that all of us can take part in whatever event that we wanted. Make sure you all join at least one event, okay?" Smiling brightly as she did so, I felt as if all my fatigue from the day and before vanished(which is, of course, only my imagination) and made me smile back at her, proud and relieved that she still kept some brightness in her mindset. "So, on that note, let's all have fun for today! OOO!"

"OOO!" Everyone else replied her cheer, albeit with carrying degrees of enthusiasm. With that said, the joint athletic meet between the Campus-Life Club and The Crew began.

Walking to the table where the list of events was placed, I passed by Yuki who's, for some reason, eating a piece of banana while talking with Ryuuko. When I arrived, Ri-san offered me a cup of coffee since she knew how tired I am. Truth be told, I'm not actually fond of drinking the mixture, but I figured to just roll with it to keep her happy.

Now feeling significantly more awake than before, I head towards the first event of my choice, which is a 100-meter sprint… against Shuuya and Kurumi. Instantly, my enthusiasm(which wasn't many, to begin with) dropped below zero and I considered stepping out of this race since my chance of winning is as good as none. However, like before, Yuki thwarted that plan and pushed me to the starting line. Is this her revenge for me pushing her out of my room yesterday?

"Come on, Yuu-kun! I know you can do it!" Yuki cheered encouragingly from the sidelines.

"Shuuya-kun! Make sure you don't lose!" Came Yuuri's voice from beside Yuki. Immediately, they stared at each other menacingly.

"Yo, Kurumi! Show me what you're made of!" Touko voiced her support of the other contestant along with Aki next to her.

As I took on the readying position at the starting line and waiting for the starting whistle to be blown by Miki, I couldn't help but think.

'Maybe this day is not so bad after all.'


	13. Chapter 13: Development, Consummation

Chapter 13 - Development, Consummation

Lifting another bar, I placed it along with others of its size on the shelf. Bowing down to grab another one, I sigh before the piece of metal joined its brothers in the sports shed.

"Are you alright, Kiriha?"

Turning backwards, I stared at Shuuya as he brought a box filled with small flagpoles on one hand and stack of hurdles in the other arm. Placing those items gently on the floor, he did not even flinch from the weight of the equipment. With no trace of sweat on his skin, he seems as fit as a fiddle as if he didn't participate in a tug-of-war against a group of peoples and win an hour ago. Though, that's to be expected. He's Shuuya after all, as strong as a bull and brave like a lion, with a spirit that burns like a continuous flame. There's nothing physical-wise that he can't do.

"Yeah, I'm fine here," I answered his question earlier. "But still, why do we have to clean the place while the girls all run off from this duty?" I questioned the injustice of the situation. "And why did you let them? It's unfair, don't you think so?"

Hearing the sound of light laughing, I turned around and saw Shuuya chuckling in a way that most girls found to be cute. Oh, if only they knew what he's like at his home.

"Kiriha," after a few seconds, he calms down and faces me. "It's what we should do," he stated. "It is our duty to protect those that needs protection, to support those who needs support, to help anyone who requires help and to lead those who needs a leader. There's a reason why we are guys, and there's a reason why we are still here."

"Don't you think that sounds a little sexist?" I asked him.

At the question, Shuuya just giggled again. "It's what you said to us a few years ago. I just repeated it back to you. Also, they organised this event by themselves, so I think it's justified that we clean up for them."

I sighed once more and crouched down when my shoe collided with something on the floor. 'What's this?' I picked the item up. Turns out it was a bottle of lemon lubricant. 'What the heck is this thing doing in a place like this?' Puzzled, I just shoved it behind a cart of soccer balls. Then. I heard Shuuya's voice.

"But if you want to go back to your room, then I can't stop you. I'll be fine here, there's not much left outside, after all."

"Gee, thanks. I really appreciate it." Picking my sword that lies near the door sill, I spotted something at the corner of my eye as I stepped outside. Glancing at Shuuya, I told him.

"Oh yeah, Shuuya," he kept his face away from me but nodded to indicate he's listening. "Be careful of Ri-san, would you? Don't want something obscene to happen inside this sports shed." With that said, I skipped over to my room, where Yuki is probably waiting.

Back inside the shed, Shuuya rubbed his head in confusion over what Yuuta's last word meant. Oh, he knew the meaning of the sentence just fine, but what he doesn't understand is where Yuuri came in the equation. It's not like she's outside, waiting for Yuuta to leave and leaving him alone, right?

Shaking any perverse subconscious thoughts from his head, Shuuya focused back on the task at the moment. When he turned around to get another box of equipment used in the athletic meet, he was faced with Yuuri's figure standing by the doorway.

"Good evening, Shuuya-kun," Yuuri greeted the redhead with a gentle smile. Shuuya was a little captivated but what captured his attention more was the fact that Yuuri was still in her gym uniform(they're not actually gym uniform, just some loose clothes that the girls found in the campus, same as the futon that they discovered inside one of the rooms) and her skin were still glistening from the sweat that accumulated during the day. What makes it worse is that the sweat made her clothes partially see-through, allowing him to see a glimpse of her underclothes.

Quickly, Shuuya averted his gaze sidewards, but then he glanced back at Yuuri only to avert his face once more. Inside his mind, a serious conflict is to decide what he should do in this moment. On one hand, his perverse side, the one that he turned into whenever he's home, wants to just ogle the brown-haired girl and satisfy his lust with her. On the other hand, his gentlemanly side, the one he converts into when he's at school or outside, urges him to remain diligence and resist the temptation least he did something he would regret. And he should know. He once almost done something to that extent, after all.

"Shuuya-kun?" Yuuri spoke again. Apparently, his lack of response and weird behaviour worried her a little. "Why are you facing away?"

"It's nothing, Yuuri-san!" Said Shuuya, his voice lifted a little as his mind is still conflicted. "What are you doing here, may I ask? I thought you and the others had gone back inside."

"Well…" Yuuri turned away as a blush manifested on her cheek, her hand unconsciously brushing the bundle of hair at her side. "I… I thought I'd waited until you and Yuuta-kun finished your work here, then thanked the both of you for helping. But, it seemed that Yuuta-kun had run away earlier and now only you remained in here."

Shuuya sighed, thankful(but a little disappointed) that there's nothing suspicious of Yuuri appearance. He smiled and faced Yuuri(keeping his gaze firmly on her face) and replied. "Yes, I noticed Kiriha was a little tired and said it's okay for him to leave the work here to me. I am almost done."

"Oh, that's good then," Yuuri spoke, a trace of disappointment behind her voice to Shuuya's ears. However, he decided not to enquire upon it and went off to place back the equipment used earlier that day(there were a lot), box by box until all was moved inside the sports shed.

Satisfied that his work for the day is over, Shuuya turned towards the door, where Yuuri was still standing and watching him. As their eyes met, the boy and the girl stared at each other, unsure of what to say at the moment.

"S-Shuuya-kun!"

"Yes!" Exclaimed Shuuya, a little surprised at the sudden voice. As he looked at the girl currently in front of him, he noticed that she's shifting in her place with her hands behind. As a person who's very experienced in matters like these, what's with being popular and all, he knows that it was a sign made by girls before they confess to a boy. Considering that he had broken many a girls' hearts before(it's not really his fault), he could recognise the signs from a mile away. That's how he knew Kurumi's feelings for his blonde friend before Sakaki even found out. Though, Yuuta's and Yuki's relationship seems to be an exception.

Anyway, moving back to the classic confession scene, Yuuri was still fidgeting while Shuuya waited for her words to come out. After what seemed like hours, Yuuri managed to croak out a voice, but ultimately failed and sighed greatly.

"I'm sorry, Shuuya-kun. It was nothing," she spoke with undisguised frustration. "I apologise for holding you here without reason."

"It's okay, Yuuri-san," Shuuya moved forward and placed his hand on top of Yuuri's head, brushing it gently. "I'm not bothered or anything." Stepping out of the shed, he held a hand towards Yuuri, a smile on his face. "Come on, let's go back inside."

Yuuri responded with a smile of her own. "Yes, that would be good." She then accepted the hand and the two walked to the campus building, hand-in-hand and happiness in their hearts, for even if they could not utter their feelings out, their connection is close and will be closer as time went by.

Behind a lone tree, Ryuuko snickered at the development before running back inside.

* * *

"Hmm~"

Humming cheerfully, Yuki smoothed over the futon sheet that she acquired from one of the rooms in the building along with others that were claimed by her friends. Of course, she's currently not inside her room and instead in Yuuta's. Her own room is mainly used only for storing her things and clothes while she slept in Yuuta's living quarter. She didn't know exactly why she wanted to do it(and the thought still slightly embarrass her sometimes) but she did feel comfortable being inside her boyfriend's room despite Yuuta never staying with her for long at night. She's fine with it, though, but that did not stop her from placing a second futon beside hers in the small chance that Yuuta chooses to sleep tonight rather than going God knows where alone.

As she smoothed the edges once more, she nodded in satisfaction and placed two pillows on each sheet. Finishing that, she sat on her own futon, seiza style, waiting for Yuuta to return.

Her wait didn't last long when the door creaked open several minutes later, revealing Yuuta at the door. Seeing him, Yuki greeted her lover with a smile. "Welcome home, Yuu-kun," doing a little bow as she did so.

Yuuta blinked once before registering his girlfriend sitting in his room, wearing only her night clothes, which is not very much. However, his mind and body were a little tired to care too much and he just raised a hand in response. "Yo."

"You're quite late, aren't you, Yuu-kun?" Yuki inquired.

"Sorry, but I went to find some snacks before coming here, that's why I'm late," answered Yuuta, before a yawn escaped his mouth. "So tired, I think I want to sleep away tonight."

Yuki' smiled in delight at Yuuta's decision. It means that she's not going to be alone tonight. Suddenly something clicked inside her head. 'Alone inside a room… just the two of us… isn't this what Kenji-san said to me before?' Her hand then reached towards the skirt pocket of her school uniform(she kept it next to her bed so that she can change immediately without going back to her own room) and the two small packets were still there. She remembered the next instruction, 'Pour them inside a glass of water. Hmm… maybe I should lock the door first.' The pinkhead stood up and turned to Yuuta who's sitting cross-legged on his futon, his sword lying in front of him, and asked. "Yuu-kun, do you want some water?"

"Now that you mention it, I do feel rather thirsty from all the physical exertion I did today," said Yuuta while rubbing his throat. "So, yes please."

Hearing the answer, Yuki went towards a low table in the room where she took out a bottle of mineral water and two plastic cups from inside Yuuta's bag(there are various things inside his bag). Pouring some water into the cups, she procured the two foils and ripped the package, allowing for the powdery contents to fall into the cup. Using a small spoon(as said before, there are various things inside Yuuta's bag) and stirred the mixture until the powders dissolved with the clear water.

Grabbing the two cups, she walked back to Yuuta's place with a smile, happy that she followed Dr Kenji's instructions properly. "Here you go, Yuu-kun."

"Ah, thanks," Yuuta thanked his girlfriend and accepted the cup. He drank the water while Yuki did the same action beside him.

As the two finished the last drop of the drink, both of them suddenly felt… something happening to their body.

'Is it hot in here?' Yuuta questioned himself as he felt active all of a sudden and he thought his body temperature had risen. But most importantly, there's a certain uncomfortableness at a certain area inside his trousers.

'Ugh… what's this? I feel dizzy~' thought Yuki as her mind become clouded and her senses seemed to become more sensitive. What's more, the area between her thighs is itching considerably. "Y-Yuu-kun…" she called her roommate, but her voice was slurred slightly which worried Yuuta. "I-It's uncomfortable here, don't you think?"

"Y-Yeah, it sure is," the boy managed to answer, despite the increasing tightness in his pants. "I wonder why…" he looked at his companion… but averted his gaze a second later as he suddenly felt aroused by just seeing his girlfriend's cute face. 'I've got to control myself. I've got to control myself. Discipline… Discipline…' Yuuta repeated the chant inside his head as he closed his eyes and tried to restrain his sudden lust and purging his mind of any perverse thoughts.

As for Yuki, she had no idea(or maybe just a slight) of what's happening to her body, and so, she kept staring at Yuuta. Her pink orbs landed on Yuuta's lips and she wondered if they would taste different today if she kissed him now. She then moved closer to her boyfriend, intent to capture his lips with her own. Normally, she would show a little shyness at the thought and action, but, her mind is not in the right at the moment so… yeah. She's just responding with her instincts.

Still in his semi-meditation state, Yuuta felt a slight shift in the sheet of his futon. Opening his eyes, he was met with the sight of Yuki's face mere inches from his own. Yuuta opened his mouth to talk, "Yuki, what are you-" however, he suddenly found his voice silenced by Yuki surging forward, closing the few distances separating them, and putting her lips on his.

The kiss started out light at first, but it quickly becomes clear to Yuuta that this kiss is different from the others before. While those kiss that they shared previously were moved by their pure love for each other, this one was definitely fueled by lust and primal instincts. Nothing chaste about it either.

Yuuta tried to protest about Yuki's sudden action and push her away from him, but he couldn't due to his mind still in a state of conflict and war between his rapidly losing pure side and the conquering dark side. Yuki's tight grip on him is not helping matters either. The fact that his hands are in front of her chest is just icing on the cake that he did not order.

Then, he felt something licking his lips. His eyes opened widely as he realised it was Yuki's tongue, trying to enter his mouth. His traitorous body allowed entrance and as her tongue touched his own, something inside his mind snapped.

Well, he's not actually a saint or a monk after all.

Using his strength, Yuuta pushed Yuki backwards and she fell gently onto the futon's soft sheet. Their mouth is still connected, though, and now that Yuuta is atop Yuki, he began his counterattack.

Savagely, like wild animals, Yuuta slithered his tongue towards Yuki's mouth. Demanding entrance, he intertwined their tongues together, as a feeling of bliss entered Yuki's mind. Their reason now thrown out of the door. Desperately, he sucked on her tongue which caused the girl to tremble slightly.

However, that's not the only thing he did. His hands still on Yuki's chest, Yuuta groped her breasts slowly, kneading on them like a dough and occasionally pinching her nipples. All the while, he's still kissing her as is the increasing hardening of his genital.

Finally, after several minutes, Yuuta released Yuki from his embrace. Face flushing brightly along with breathing hard, both of them were giving in to their lust for each other. But, it's not over yet.

This time, Yuuta moved over to Yuki's chest and he began removing her nightgown and hoodie, revealing her small breasts and white skin. Instantly, he sucked on her right breast and groped the other with his hand. Yuki moaned slightly as the sensation entered her head. She kept her legs closed as her panties started to get soaked with liquid.

Meanwhile, Yuuta was still sucking on her chest, alternating between the right and left. Instinctively, his free hand travelled towards the crevice between Yuki's thighs and began rubbing her wet panties, much to Yuki's moaning pleasure.

After a while, though, Yuki regained her strength to fight and Yuuta this time was pushed back towards the second futon. Yuki was on top this time, and she kissed Yuuta again while her hands unbuttoned his shirt, removing them from his body. Taking a few seconds to admire his figure, Yuki moved closer until her breasts touched Yuuta's chest and licked on his neck. Yuuta let out some small noises but moaned slightly when Yuki nibbled playfully on his skin. For the pinkhead, one one of her hand trailed along Yuuta's stomach until she reached a section that resembled a tower on Yuuta's pants. She got curious and stroked the part, which prompted a moan from Yuuta. She then continued rubbing the part, all while still licking and nibbling on the boy's exposed skin.

Before long, Yuuta decided to act and returned the attack by nibbling on Yuki's ear with one hand touching her thigh, gently stroking her body. The erotic voice that came out of his girlfriend's lips aroused Yuuta even further. His other hand reached upwards and softly brushed Yuki's nape, further enhancing the stimulation she received. To counter that, the girl increased the speed of her stroke on Yuuta's hardened member and had rubbed her genitals on Yuuta's thighs as both of them were in a sitting position now.

With her other hand, Yuki stealthily removed Yuuta's trousers, leaving him in just his shorts. The tower is more visible now and there was some liquid at the peak.

The cheery and very flushed girl not to mention aroused a.k.a horny, stopped her nibbling and licking, bent down before the tent in Yuuta's shorts. Compelled by some strange instincts, she grabbed the shaft and stroked it up and down. Yuuta, equally flushed, aroused and horny as Yuki but not cheery, moaned again from the sensation. Yuki meanwhile, felt bolder and brought her mouth towards the head, licking it curiously. She then put Yuuta's manhood that was still covered by his shorts in her mouth. The itching in her womanhood returned and she used one hand to rub it while the other was still stroking Yuuta's member while her head went up and down, continuously taking in and out his erected member.

Yuuta was beginning to see stars in his vision as Yuki's action continued to assault his mind with pleasure he never experienced before. His two hands free by his side, he reached for Yuki's hair and gripped them for something to hold on. Yuki then began to hasten the pace of her stroke and sucking as with the rubbing of her genitals. For the boy, he reflexively trusted his manhood into Yuki's mouth.

Not a second after that, a white liquid came out from the end of Yuuta's shaft and wetted his shorts further as his mind went blank for a few seconds. As for Yuki, the action caused her body to react and her whole figure convulsed as she felt something squirted from inside her vagina and wetting her panties more, granting her a feeling of bliss and euphoria.

However, something inside Yuuta's mind snapped, causing him to revert back towards his normal thought pattern. Seeing Yuki almost naked with a massive blush on her face, hand still gripping his penis then realising that he's also half-naked and had his hands securely on Yuki's hair, he was horrified… to say the least.

"Hey, Yuki! Wake up!" Spoke Yuuta. "Come on! Snap out of it!" Shaking her body as he said so.

"Huh, Yuu-kun…" Yuki drawled on drowsily, her mind still in a state of pleasure.

"Yuki… I-I… I'm sorry…" said the boy, his tone a mixture of disappointment and regret. "I don't know what actually came over me. I just… don't know what compelled me to do all that."

The pinkhead, now starting to sober up from her experience(and blushing more profusely than before), remembered the two foil packages that she poured into the water they drank before all of it happened. Without a sound, she stood up and went to the low table where she prepared the drinks and picked the foil(thankful that she didn't throw them away) and showed it to Yuuta.

"Here, Yuu-kun. Your Dad asked me to insert this into our drinks when we're alone together. I don't know what they are, though."

Yuuta picked the small packages and peered onto the writings on them. "Viagra…" he muttered the word as realisation hit him like a pile of rocks. "That bastard gave us Viagra!" The boy shouted. "How dare he! That's it!" Standing up, he grabbed his sword and went towards the door. "I'm gonna kill that bastard even if it's the last thing I do! I don't care if I'll die as long as I take him down with me!"

Before he could reach the door, however, a pair of hands pulled on his left arm. "Wait, Yuu-kun! Don't go!"

"Let me go, Yuki! I'll put an end to his meddling of this world with my own hands. He's gone too far, manipulating you into drugging both of us! What the hell is he thinking?!" Roared Yuuta as he tried to wriggle out of Yuki's grasp.

"At least put some clothes on before you go outside!" Yuki exclaimed, and Yuuta looked down at himself and realised that he's still just in his underwear. Immediately, he froze. "And also, I don't mind it."

Instantly, the boy whipped his head around. He couldn't believe what he just heard from her. "What… What did you say?"

"I don't mind it…" Yuki face turned red as she uttered the words again. "It felt… kind off good… I think," she added before staring at Yuuta with her pink orbs. "Don't you like it, Yuu-kun?"

"I-I…" suddenly, Yuuta felt flustered from her gaze. Other than that, he could also felt Yuki's breasts pressing onto his arm, the soft sensation bringing his member back to attention. "It did felt good… for me…" Yuuta admitted finally.

"T-T-Then… c-can we… continue?" Inquired Yuki slowly.

"Are you sure you want to, Yuki?" Yuuta asked her for confirmation. "I don't want you fell like you have to do this with me or anything. I want you to do this out of your own consent."

Yuki lifted her head, and Yuuta could see her eyes blazing with burning love(or something like that). "Yes, yes I do. What about you, Yuu-kun?" It was her turn to question Yuuta. "Do you want to do this with me?" Her head lowered. "I know that I'm not very pretty, and I'm aware that my body is not that attractive compared to others, and I'm a little weak at everything, but! I do love you… and I want you to love me too just as much as I love you."

"Don't chastise yourself too much, Yuki," Yuuta smiled at his companion and lover's words. "You're wonderful just the way you are. I don't see much of what's outside, for what I'm searching for is what's inside here," he poked Yuki's chest(not her breast, mind you) and resumed. "Your soul is what matters to me. A soul devoid of darkness and contain an unlimited love for me… that's what I want." Taking her hands with his own, he looked at the pinkhead straight in her eyes. "And don't worry, for I'm certain that my love for you is at least higher than yours towards mine."

"Yuu-kun…" tears filled Yuki's eyes before she wiped them and smiled brightly. "Thanks!"

Their faces close to each other, Yuuta and Yuki closed the distance between them and kissed. Unlike earlier, this one was not one driven by lust but from their pure love for the respective other. Slowly, however, the kiss began to involve more than their lips. Yuuta moved his tongue and poked lightly on the entrance of Yuki's mouth, asking for entry. Yuki complied and their tongues slithered together, intertwining and exchanging saliva between them. It was enough to get them considerably aroused again.

Moving forwards, Yuuta guided Yuki backwards, their mouth still connected, towards the futon sheet. As they reached the soft white blankets, the black haired boy pushed the pinkhead lightly so that they fell on top of the mattress, with him on top.

Removing their lips from each other with a string of saliva connecting their mouths, both of them had a flushed expression on their face. Staring at Yuki's chest, Yuuta touched them(which surprised Yuki at first) and began to grope them gently, not unlike what he did before. The action spurred some light moans from Yuki in which Yuuta's manhood reacted by getting erected once more. He tried to take his mind from the hard member and touched Yuki's very moist panties with one hand. Rubbing her folds through the fabric slowly, the result was Yuki's moaning growing in volume which, in turn, made him more aroused than before.

Finally deeming her to be wet enough, Yuuta sat up and carefully removed Yuki's underwear, helped by Yuki herself. After that, he removed his shorts, revealing his erect penis to Yuki, who was a little shocked from the sudden sight even though she had touched and even sucked on it before(albeit separated by a piece of clothing). Yuuta, understanding her surprise and embarrassment(and was very much embarrassed himself) situated himself over Yuki's figure and readied himself for what he's going to do.

"Yuki, this is it. Do you still want to do it?" Asked Yuuta, even though he knew the answer.

The girl nodded. "Yes. Please, make me yours, Yuu-kun, so that I can make you mine too."

Hearing the answer, Yuuta positioned his manhood at the entrance of Yuki's womanhood, and slowly, very slowly, thrusts his erect member into Yuki.

"Ahh!"

Yuki suddenly moaned and Yuuta immediately stopped his movement. "Are you okay, Yuki? Did it hurt somewhat?"

"It's okay. It felt painful for a moment there, but I'm alright now," replied Yuki through winced eyes, and Yuuta's not fooled. Looking down at their point of connection, he saw a small trail of blood leaking from Yuki's vagina. "Ri-san once told me that it'll hurt for your first time. I'm just not prepared, that's all."

"I'm sorry. I don't actually know what to do since this is my first time," confessed Yuuta. Then, he brushed some hair from Yuki's face. "But, I'll try my best to make this enjoyable for us both." Tracing his finger along his girlfriend's cheek, he added. "But, I didn't expect you to know about this kind of things."

Looking disappointingly at her lover, Yuki replied. "Yuu-kun, I'm an adult woman now. Of course, I would know about things like this." Yuuta stared at her with an amused look. "Okay, I still don't know much because Ri-san didn't tell me everything, only what we learned in P. E class and some other things that she heard from her friends."

"He he, if we were to compare who received the most experience about sexual matters from our friends, then I would surely win," said Yuuta while Yuki looked at him, confused. "Anyway, does it still hurt now?"

Yuki shook her head. "No, I'm fine now. The pain has eased off a bit," came Yuki's reply.

"Then, can I start moving?" Asked the boy. The girl nodded slowly in answer.

Continuing his body's movement, before long the head of Yuuta's shaft poked the mouth of Yuki's womb, causing the pinkhead to jolt her body a little. Giving a few moments for her to calm down, Yuuta then pulled his penis out from Yuki's pussy, before thrusting it back inside slowly. His action prompted a soft moan from Yuki's mouth.

"Y-Yuu-kun… p-please… go faster," Yuki said, the pain from before almost completely gone and a feeling of pleasure beginning to overtook it.

"All right," the black haired boy complied and pistons his hard shaft in and out of Yuki's vagina slightly faster than before. The task was helpfully lubricated by the liquid squirting from the inside walls of her pussy.

Faster and faster Yuuta's thrusting become as he succumbed himself fully to his urges. His hips rocked back and forth, as he let himself loose.

As for Yuki, the girl was in a state of indescribable pleasure at the moment and her mind had long become blank as the waves of bliss carried her away. Deep inside her nether region, she could feel something about to come out.

"Y-Yuu-kun! I feel something coming!" Spoke the pinkhead.

"Y-Yeah. Me too," Yuuta replied as he hastened his movements.

After a minute of holding it back, Yuki finally gave in to her climax and her inner folds tighten as she squirted. The tightening also forced Yuuta to came as he thrust deeply into Yuki and released his sperm inside her womb. Both of them moaned loudly and called for the other's name.

"YUU-KUN!"

"YUKI!"

Giving one final thrust, Yuuta pulled his shaft from Yuki's pussy and collapsed on the futon beside her. The two young adults panted and gasped after their exhausting activity. Yuki especially still had the blissful expression on her face while Yuuta stared at the ceiling.

Glancing at his companion, Yuuta brought his upper body up and sat beside Yuki before helping her up and sat cross-legged facing each other. Silently, the boy stood up and went towards his bag, pulling out a small box that he had hidden at the lowest part of the bag, away from Yuki's grasp. Yuki, now fully awake, looked at her lover coming back to her before kneeling with one knee and hiding his hands behind him.

"Yuki," the black haired boy spoke.

"Yes, Yuu-kun," the pinkhead stared curiously at Yuuta.

"All my life, I've never felt any real happiness… until I met you," Yuuta began his speech. "You showed me optimism, light, fun things, cheerfulness and most importantly, love that only my family had ever given. I've always lived my life simply, and that's what I prefer. When I think of the future, what I planned is to find and enter a nice college, find a nice job, meet and fall in love with a girl, marry her and have several children, living life happily until the day I leave this world. Even though the second step is not possible right now, I've completed the first step and the third has long since been done. However, I admit that I'm kind of scared to go forwards towards the next part until tonight came that is. Although I'm not going to kill my bastard father for his action, I'm still going to punch him in the face the next time I see him. With that said," he procured from behind him the small box. Opening it revealed a pink ring with purple diamonds studded around it. "Yuki, will you marry me?"

Unexpectedly for him, Yuki chuckled before replying. "You know, Yuu-kun. Proposing while you're not wearing any clothes is not very romantic at all." Yuuta rubbed his head embarrassingly, realising that what she said was true. But then, Yuki reached for the ring and slid it on her fourth finger. "But even so," she suddenly lunged towards Yuuta and he fell backwards with Yuki atop him. "Yes. Yes! I'll marry you, Yuu-kun! I'll be your wife and be by your side, forever and ever." She then sealed their lips with a kiss.

"Thanks, Yuki," said Yuuta after they separated from their kiss. "I'll be your husband, and even though I may not be with you all the time, I'll never stop loving you and will make sure that I always, always return to your side. This is my promise to you."

"And I accept it," agreed Yuki. Yuuta, contended with the situation, brought his hand towards Yuki's hair and stroked it gently.

After a while, though, Yuki started tracing circles on Yuuta's chest. "Ne, Yuu-kun," the guy peered downwards to his girlfriend's very red face. "Do you think… we can do it once more?"

Yuuta answered the question with a deep kiss and the rest of the night is history.

* * *

Read and Review~

What do you think~


	14. Chapter 14: The Days After

Chapter 14 - The Days After

Inside a relatively normal room, a teenage girl with short white hair woke up from her sleep.

*yawn*

Closing her mouth, she stretches her limbs a bit before shoving the thick blankets from her body. Quickly, she stood up and folded the white futon and blankets before neatly placing them at one corner of the room. Finishing that, the whitehead proceeded to wear her clothes, brushing the bangs from her forehead in front of a mirror after that.

Smiling a little in satisfaction, she grabbed a book situated on the low table beside her clothing cabinet and exited her room. Before she walked out, the tomboyish-looking girl checked her clock and knew that the others(minus the laziest ones) should be awake by now.

Closing the door to her living quarter, the girl stopped as the door beside next to her opened, revealing two girls; one about her age and wearing her long purple hair in twintails while carrying a shovel, while the other was considerably younger and her long blonde hair looked messy as if she just woke up(which she knew was the truth) and there's a scowl on her pretty face. The shorthaired girl turned to the two and greeted them politely.

"Kurumi-senpai, Maki-san, good morning."

"Yo Miki, aren't you early," said the purplehead as she raised her hand.

"Hmph, this is hardly early," the shorter girl spoke. "I would have woken up sooner if not for you silencing the alarm."

Kurumi replied uninterestedly. "Eh… it's not my fault, okay. I was sleepy, and tired since I took part in most of the events yesterday." Maki stared at her with contempt. "Unlike you, who participated in almost nothing at all. I thought you wanted to beat everyone, am I right?"

This got the blonde flustered. "I-It's not like I don't want to take part myself! It's just that I thought I would give you a chance to show your worth before me," she exclaimed with fake arrogance. "Yes, that's all there to it, nothing more."

"Really?" Suddenly, a voice was heard from the girl's right along with a person wrapping their arms around her neck. "Isn't it because you're actually quite bad at sports, Maki-chan?"

The girl tried to struggle away from her friend's grasp. "Ugh! You're not supposed to tell them that, Ryuuko!"

"Oho~ So you're bad at sports, huh?" Teased Kurumi on her roommate's apparent lack of ability in physical fitness. "And you call yourself Subaru-kun's sister?"

"T-This and that is different!" Responded Maki with a scream. "Just because I'm Onii-sama's sister doesn't mean I'm also physically fit like him! I'm my own person!" She said loudly. Then, she added with a low voice. "And it's not my fault either. I've been trying to train myself but I gave up fast since Ruiko excelled too much in that field."

Maki then felt a hand on her head. "There there, Maki-chan," said Yuuri, the club president, as she proceeded to pat the blonde girl on the head. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm not good in physical exercise myself. If you want, we can train together," her voice gentle and calming.

"I don't need your sympathy!" Shouted the not-so-little girl indignantly and embarrassingly. "I can take care of myself just fine! What is this, everyone suddenly talking about me all of a sudden? Let's go to the dining room! I'm starving already! This morning I'll prepare a dish that'll make you all bow down to my culinary greatness!"

Given Maki's loud voice, it was not surprising that another door in the hallway opened. From the room came the figure of a male with spiky red hair and a tired face. "What's the commotion this early in the morning?" He yawned as he asked.

"Sorry, Shuuya-senpai," Miki bowed a bit at one of her male upperclassmen. "Maki-san was just being her boisterous self again." The statement was met with a 'Hey!' from said person.

"I see…" Shuuya nodded and smiled as he scanned the crowd. "Wait, where's Kiriha and Yuki-san?"

"Ah… Yuki's probably still sleeping in her room," answered Kurumi. "And I'm absolutely certain that Yuuta's either drop dead sleeping in his futon or wandering around the place."

At this, Ryuuko raised her hand. "Ah, I think Yuuta-san's in his room right now. I saw him entering last night and he looked very, very sleepy."

"About that, I'm actually a little worried about him," Shuuya uttered. "I could hear some… faint noises coming from his room when I went to bed. I fell asleep before I could hear it all, though."

"Hmm… that's really suspicious," said Ryuuko, holding her chin thoughtfully. "Should we wake him up?"

"I'll go do that," Miki volunteered and went towards the door to Yuuta's room. "Ri-san, could you please wake Yuki-senpai?"

Yuuri nodded and strides over to Yuki's living quarters. Since Yuki didn't lock the door, she opened it easily… only to find no one's inside. "Yuki-chan, where are you?" She asked into the obviously empty room. "Turning back towards Miki, she reported her findings. "She's not here, Miki-san. I don't know why."

"What? Where could she probably be!?" Exclaimed Miki as she held her head and thought of several possible places her immature upperclassman could be at the moment.

"Ah, I wouldn't worry about her," everyone turned to Ryuuko when she stated that. "I think she's in Yuuta-san's room right now like she'd been for the past few nights."

Miki, Kurumi and Yuuri stared at the redhead with unbelieving expressions. "Why would she be inside his room?" Questioned Yuuri. "And how did you know, Ryuuko-chan?"

"Aside from the fact that Yuuta-san and Yuki-san are lovers?" Replied Ryuuko while lifting her eyebrow. "And you shouldn't underestimate me, Yuuri-san. I know everything that's happening around me. No rumours could escape my ears and no information can run away from my sight."

A little distance away, Maki whispered to Kurumi beside her. "As much as I don't want to admit it, it's frighteningly correct how many of the rumours she told us turned out to be true… in one way or another."

Meanwhile, Miki had gone back to knocking on Yuuta's door, which had grown in volume, proportional to her worry and uneasiness. Unfortunately, it seems that the door was locked from the inside and there's no way for her to get into the room… at least not without breaking the door, but she wouldn't resort to such violence.

"Move over! Let me kick that door open!" Fortunately for her, Kurumi have no obligation to not resort to violence. "Stand back!" Everyone retreated some metres away from her as sh readied her body to kick the entrance.

Holding her shovel tightly in her hand, Kurumi spun around before her right leg connected with the wooden door, effectively undoing the lock and throwing the rectangular piece of material backwards. Taking a deep breath, she turned around and flashed a smile at the crowd behind her. "Now that's how you open a locked door. I've always wanted to try that trick." Finished with her display of awesomeness, she peered into the living space for any signs of her club members.

'Hmm… wonder if those two are really inside here,' Kurumi thought to herself as she took a step into the dark room. She covered her nose as it somehow smells of squid inside. Then, she spotted two futons placed side by side at the center of the room with what looked like peoples inside them. The purple-haired girl was about to move closer when she suddenly stepped on something. Pausing her steps, she crouched down and examined the object. It turns out to be a piece of cloth. But not just a piece of cloth. It was a pair of pink panties. And she'd seen it before… on Yuki's figure. Suddenly, it clicked inside her head.

It was Yuki's panties.

Looking around a bit more, she could make out what she recognised as Yuki's pink hoodie jacket along and her shorts was just a few feet away from it… next to another piece of shorts, this one coloured green and definitely not Yuki's. And since there are only two people inside the room(aside from her), it did not take a genius to know who it belongs to and what transpires in here.

"YUUUUTTAAAAA!" Her face red from both embarrassment and rage, Kurumi shouted at the top of her lungs, which surprised her friends outside and enough to rouse the two peoples currently sleeping peacefully in the room. Such cruelty.

"What, what!?" The black-haired guy who was previously sleeping woke up with a shock at the sudden noise that assaulted his eardrums and forcefully waking him up. Bringing his upper body up, he rubbed his eyes before looking around for the source of the horrifying sound that seemed as if it's shouting his name.

Moving his eyes towards the entrance of his room, the boy, Kiriha Yuuta, spotted the figure of one of his companions standing by the door with glowing red eyes and a matching red face… and did her twintails really rise up just now? It was then that he knew he was absolutely screwed.

"WAAAHHHHH!" Instantly, Yuuta leapt off from his mattress, but still had the sense to grab the blankets and wrap it around her waist, onto the farthest side of the room opposite from the door. "Kurumi! What are you doing in here!?"

"I should be the one asking you that!" Shouted the girl again. "What the hell do you think you're doing in here with Yuki, huh!?" Along with the question was a stare that could kill a dragon… directed entirely to the lone male in the room.

"Hmm…" it was then that the blanket on the second futon moved and rose… revealing a sleepy Yuki who was wearing nothing to protect her modesty and chest. "What is it…" she spoke drowsily as her eyes blinked a few times. Then, the pinkhead noticed her friend inside the room. "Ah… Kurumi-chan. Good morning."

"Now's not the time to stay in bed!" Shrieked the purplehead who turned her gaze back towards Yuuta. "You! How dare you besmirch and defile Yuki's pureness!" Shovel raised, slowly Kurumi crept forward towards the other end of the room. "I'll be sure to punish you for this…"

"Kurumi-senpai, what's happening in there?" Asked a voice from behind Kurumi. Entering the room, Miki's eyes landed on her male upperclassman standing half-naked(and warily) opposite her and her other(childish) upperclassman still sitting on her futon… except with no clothes on her body and only the blankets covering her lower half. Putting two and two together, blood rushed quickly towards her face as she realized what kind of situation she just stumbled into.

"Y-Yuki-senpai… did you… have you… could you have… what are you… did you really…",Miki stuttered as her mind couldn't settle on what question to ask.

Yuki, now a little bit more awake, saw Miki and cheerfully waved at her. "Ah, Mii-kun! Hear this," she giggled. "Yuu-kun proposed to me!"

"WHAT!" Kurumi shouted and turned her head to face Yuki, allowing Yuuta to move away from her and her shovel. As for Miki, lightning stroke on the background due to shock. Simultaneously, her form began to fade to white and she slumped down, unable to take any more revelations.

"Is everything all right in there, Kurumi, Miki-san?" Yuuri peeked her head at the doorway to see what all the fuss was about. What she saw was Yuuta covered in a white blanket trying to pick his clothes, Yuki sitting topless on her bed while looking at her finger, and Kurumi who's shaking a paler than usual Miki on the floor. She was understandably confused… for a while before she realized what had transpired here.

"Don't block the way, Ri-san! What's in there!"

"I demand a clear view of what's happening in the room, but it's not like I care much or anything!"

"No you can't," instantly, Yuuri placed her hands over the two younger girls and covered their eyes to protect their innocence (yeah, innocence), much to the protest of Ryuuko and Maki. "It's not something you two should know yet," she said sternly.

"Ri-san!" Yuki exclaimed upon seeing her. "Look at this!" She showed the ring on her ring finger and giggled. "I'm getting married! Isn't it great!?"

Shocked was Yuuri at the statement, but she quickly gathered her wits and just smiled sweetly at her pink-headed friend. "That's really nice, Yuki-chan! I'm so happy for you!"

"Well, I'm not!" Uttered Kurumi grumpily a little distance away. "Do you know what he did to her, Ri-san!?" Glaring at Yuuta, she added. "How dare he did those… things to her."

"Wait, it's not my fault entirely," Yuuta, already wearing his shirt uniform, defended himself. "Some things happened and they just turned put this way. And Yuki's just as much to blame as I am, not that I blame her. Here, Yuki," he dropped Yuki's jacket atop her.

"Does that mean that it's true?" Finally waking up from her shock, Miki spoke. "That you and Yuki-senpai had s-s-s-"

"Had sex, is that what you wanted to say?" Miki's face turned redder at Yuuta's reply but she nodded. "Yeah, that's what happened, though I don't regret of one bit."

"And the proposal thing, is that true too?" Queried Yuuri.

Yuuta nodded his head. "Yeah, that's true too. Surely you don't think I'm not going to take responsibility for my actions, right, Ri-san?"

"Well…"

"My my, is that really true, Yuuta-san?" Questioned Ryuuko while her eyes were still covered. "I'm so delighted! Congratulations to you and Yuki-san, then! Are you going to have the ceremony or not? If yes, then can I design your wedding clothes? I've always wanted to do that since I was little."

"Of course, Ryuuko-chan! You can design our clothes, since we are going to have a ceremony, right, Yuu-kun?" Yuki asked her boyfrie- I mean fiance with a grin.

Yuuta sighed uncharacteristically(that means, more heavy than usual) before giving his reply. "Yes, we are. Though, can we do a traditional ceremony instead of a western one? It's a family tradition and I don't want to break it."

"Really? And here I thought I can finally wear a wedding dress," Yuki pouted.

"Sorry, family tradition."

Then, Yuki sighed before smiling again. "It doesn't matter, though, as long as I get to be with Yuu-kun, any ceremony is okay."

"Thanks for understanding," facing his friends, Yuuta said. "I was actually planning on telling you all about it this morning, but it seems you all caught up on us first. With that said, do we have your consents?"

"Of course!" Yuuri replied while clapping her hands.

"I support this fully!" Ryuuko gave a thumbs up.

"As much as this surprised me, I do believe that you two are meant for each other," Miki smiled at them. "You have my blessing."

Yuuta turned to Kurumi who's folding her arms in a haughty way, reminiscence of what Maki would(and was) doing. She then sighed. "It's not like I actually disagree with the idea, it's just that I'm a little bit jealous, you know? I never would have thought that Yuki of all peoples would end up in a marriage earlier than me, but then again, life is unpredictable, more so in this world," grinning, the twintail girl slapped Yuuta on the shoulder. "So, you have my approval as well!"

"If even the annoying girl agreed on it, then I guess I'll do the same too," Maki spoke without her usual tone of superiority. "It's what Onii-sama would have done, after all."

The boy with the blue eyes looked at his club members and bowed, thankful for their support. "Thank you, everyone! Thank you!" Lifting his head, he noticed that one of his friends was not there. "Hey, where's Shuuya?"

"I'm here, Kiriha," said a voice from behind Yuuri. Stepping to the side, Shuuya's figure could be seen along with his face, smiling too gently that he seemed to be beaming. "I'm just too happy for you to say anything. I've always hoped that you would settle down with a nice girl someday, and Yuki-san is as good a choice as one. You have my blazing support!"

After Shuuya finished speaking, three more voices were heard from the hallway.

"Hey, what are you all still doing here? We're starving for breakfast, you know?" Spoke one person

"Did something nice happened?" Said another one.

"…Did you have… any trouble?" Uttered the third, slower, voice.

Coming into view, they, expectedly, turned out to be Touko, Aki and Hika. As the trio approached the room, they saw Ryuuko and Maki snickering at them.

Suspicious, Aki asked. "Okay, so… what did we miss?"

* * *

After they explained to their elders about what happened before they came, Touko immediately congratulated the couple with Aki while Hika muttered her congratulations much slower and with a small smile.

After the commotion about the news was over, the next step was deciding on the wedding date and ceremony itself. Yuuta insisted that the occasion can be held at a later date and not necessarily now but the girls, primarily Yuuri, Ryuuko, Aki and Yuki herself, wanted to hold it as soon as possible since none of them had ever seen much less participated in one before. The soon-to-be groom relented and told them he's okay with it, sighing all the way but still smiling.

Of course, managing a real traditional wedding ceremony is not easy, and doing it according to Yuuta's family traditions and specifications were only making matters a little bit easier. The first and foremost task was, of course, to settle on a date for the wedding. After some debate that Yuuta was pushed out of, it was agreed that the ceremony will be held seven days from the current date.

The second one was to find a suitable place for the occasion. Due to the dangerousness of the situation outside the building, it was suggested that they hold the ceremony inside an empty room to avoid any risk. However, one person(Ryuuko) did not agree and stated that having the wedding taking place outside would give a more pleasant feeling to it and also suggested for a person to be in charge of safety to protect them. The majority agreed and naturally, Shuuya, as the toughest known person in the group, was give the job.

Next, came the actual planning of the wedding, including the setting of the stage, arrangement of seats, food preparations, wedding clothes, and other little things. A lengthy discussion later, the separation of tasks was completed with everyone playing a role in the preparing. The list goes on like this;

Yuuta: The groom, not doing much except keeping himself healthy and staying away from the bride until the wedding date.

Yuki: The bride, also not doing much but taking care of herself and being away from meeting the groom.

Yuuri: In charge of the food and drinks preparations and overseeing the whole plan, making sure everything goes smoothly.

Kurumi: Venue constructor, building the stage in which the two will be wedded on, samurai-style and complete with background decorations.

Shuuya: Safety guard, patrolling the surroundings during the day of the ceremony and keeping the group safe and away from the danger of the undeads.

Miki: Extra worker, helping out whatever she can whether it be building the stage, cooking or arranging the seats. Also, doubles as the bride's caretaker a.k.a keeping her company.

Ryuuko: Clothes designer, the one who creates and stitched the wedding dressed to be used by the groom and bride. Helped by the fact that she's apparently really, really good in this field.

Maki: The busybody… no really. She'll be the one to remind everyone to hurry on their work and chastises them on any imperfections of the task. She is also the second cook and the ringbearer.

Touko: Tasked with the arrangements of the seats in which everyone will sit on the day while being the one to suggest a break, much to Maki's displeasure.

Aki: The stylist, helping Yuki with putting on her make-up, dress and other ceremonial decorations. But in the meantime, she's helping Ryuuko with her knitting.

Hika: Technician, she's the one who will be managing the electricity(what can be used anyway) and setting up the equipment for the occasion.

Rise: The journalist, the person who documents the fateful day and preserve it in a book or album. Also, the one who designs the invitation cards.

With the initial planning done, the group of peoples went on to complete their own tasks, as they were intent on having the ceremony on the agreed date. Kurumi went on to find some wooden boards along with Miki, Ryuuko and Aki searched through several pieces of fabrics left behind in the clubrooms, Yuuri was writing their schedules with Rise next to her who was taking note of everything inside a notebook. Maki quickly read several cookbooks, Touko going down to find a suitable place, Shuuya accompanying the other club leader, and Hika pulling some cables to connect to the sound system. Finally, at the middle of it all, Yuuta and Yuki looked away from each other shyly, not expecting the attention their friends were giving to their life, but still appreciating it. That is, until Miki and Shuuya came back and separated the two from each other.

* * *

Three days later, Rise finally finished designing the invitation cards for the wedding ceremony. She showed the cards to her crew, a little proud of herself.

"You know," Touko spoke as she held one of the cards. "I only realize this now, but, who are we going to give these invitations to?" The others looked at her, also currently having the same thought. "I mean, we've all already know about the date so why do we need a wedding card for? Not counting traditions, of course."

"Yeah," agreed Aki. "In hindsight, perhaps we got too excited during the planning."

"Then, we don't need these things?" Rise waved one of her works in the air. "That would be such a waste."

Suddenly, Hika voiced herself. "… Why don't we… give them to the other group?" The other three turned to stare at her. "… Is it… not good?"

"I don't know about that. They're not really the kind to enjoy life I think," remarked Aki.

"Maybe so, but still, we've got to inform them of what we're doing," the circle representative said. "We did promise to share any new information's, after all. And with all the noise we made in the last few days, I figured they must be wary and suspicious of us right now."

Aki stood up from the beanbag. "If that's what you want, rep, then I'll just follow you. I'll go call them right now," and with that, she exited the room.

* * *

Inside the neutral room, Touko and Aki sat once more in their seat while at the opposite side was five peoples, more than the last time.

"It's just the two of you, today?" Spoke Takahito, his gaze planted on the door as if he's expecting more peoples to enter the room. "None of those peoples from the other group?"

"No, there isn't… at least we hope," Touko replied. Just like before, Sino offered them a drink but quickly retreated when they accepted the cup.

"What is it that you wanted to talk to us?" Asked Ayaka with a stern glare. Behind her, Renya held his crossbow and readying himself for any signs of danger.

"Yeah, I heard that the last time was pretty intense, and those kids were seriously badass if they can pressure Takahito like this," said a guy. This one had brown hair and eyes, with the hair tied into a small ponytail at the back while the top was covered by a cap. His name was Shiromoto Takashige and another member of the Melee Fight Club.

Takahito instantly shot the guy a glare, uncomfortable that he just implied he was being scared of two young adults younger than them. Turning his eyes back to Touko and Aki, he asked in a gentle but bored voice. "So, what's the reason for calling us today. Did you have some new information for us?"

"Yes. Yes we have, actually," Aki replied and she took out one of the wedding invitation cards and placed it on the table. Sino went to pick it up and gave it to Takahito.

"What's that?" Questioned Takashige.

"It's a wedding invitation," Touko stated clearly. "For two of the members from the Campus-Life Club."

The leader of the other group then slammed the card down onto the table without even bothering to read the backside. "A wedding!? That's what you've been doing these past few days!?" He shouted. "Don't joke with me! Why would anyone do something like that nowadays!? There are more important things to do than having a wedding ceremony!"

"And what could that be?" Supporting her chin with her hands, Touko asked Takahito. "These kids, they are not like you all, stuck in the past and making no efforts to improve yourself, or us, who's content on remaining in the present and afraid of taking a step forward. They think of the future, they prepare for it, planning steps to live and enjoy their life generally. Is that not important enough?" She quirked her eyebrows.

"We're not actually forcing you to go," Aki resumed the talk. "We just want to inform you so you wouldn't misunderstand our actions and acts. You're all not really well liked by those kids, because of the acts of a certain someone…" the woman glared at Renya who blushed a bit. "But you're still welcome to join the event. It's nothing big, just a small ceremony and greeting for the couple. There will be some delicious food too, and I know; I've tasted some."

"Well think about it," Takahito gave his response with a sigh. "When's the date and who's the wedding pair?"

"If all goes well, it should be one week from now, and we'll inform you if there're any changes," replied Touko. "The bride will be the pink-haired girl that you saw when they first came here. As for the groom… it's that boy you fought with last time, Kiriha Yuuta-san."

"That guy?" Said Takashige in surprise. "Are you serious?"

Aki sighed and then nodded. "Yes, it's true. He's actually a nice guy, you know?"

"Anyway, that's all that we wanted to talk about," rising from her seat, Touko went towards the door. "I hope you all will consider coming."

Opening the door, Touko left followed by her friend. "See you guys later. Sino, take care of yourself, okay?"

When the door closed, silence overtook the room and the only sound heard inside was Takahito strumming his fingers on the table. After a while, Takashige pulled a cigarette and lighter from his pocket and spoke.

"So, are we going or not?" He said as he lighted the cigarette. "If there's really some delicious foods then I'm going. We've been running low on supplies, after all."

"That's not the problem here," Ayaka remarked coldly. "It could just be a trap, and they're actually planning to do something else… or go outside."

"No, that's not possible," exclaimed Takahito, his hand under his chin. "The manual that they gave to us is very much authentic, and if what that guy said was true, then there's no reason for them to go anywhere else."

"Maybe we can just go check on them?" Renya spoke slowly. "There's a chance that perhaps we can convince some of them to join us."

Takahito shook his head. "While that is preferable, the possibility that even one of them would leave their group for us is very low."

"They would have joined us if you're not weak," Renya brought his head down in shame at Ayaka's comment.

"Even so," Sino opened her mouth. "Can't we just meet them again? We can let them see that's it's better staying with us. And if that doesn't work, it's still an opportunity to reconcile with them."

"And the food. Don't forget about the food," added Takashige.

The room became silent once more as the members waited for their leader's decision. Finally, Takahito stood up and went towards the door leading to their section.

"All right, well go," he said. "But we'll stay cautious and look for any opportunity to extract any other information's from them."

And with that, he exited the room along with the other four.

* * *

Author's note~

So, this time, I think it's high time that you know the appearance of my OCs. Of course, you all have your own imaginations and image of them, but this will narrow it down somewhat(this will also double as their simplified profile). Starting with our main character:

Yuuta: The typical harem anime main character, with a not so normal personality. His appearance is basically like Okazaki Tomoya from Clannad, but with black hair instead of blue. Is a normal guy… and more.

Sakaki: The blond guy who is, in this story, the boy Kurumi likes and her boyfriend. An overall nice and perfect guy, albeit a troll towards Yuuta, he's inspired from Inui Sakaki from Acchi Kocchi. Too bad he's not around anymore.

Shuuya: The redhead boy and greatest athlete in the school not to mention the ace and captain of the soccer team, he's the second popular guy after Sakaki. Nice and gentle, never angry or displeased, his looks(and name) comes from Goenji Shuuya of Inazuma Eleven. Apart from his unexpectedly shocking side, he's also concealing a dark secret about someone.

Ruiko: The energetic, cheerful, pretty, and all around perfect sister of Kiriha Yuuta. Her concept was taken from the character Saten Ruiko of the Index/Railgun verse. The friendliest person at school, she excels at anything she did, whether it be sports, academic, or life. Of course, there's a reason behind that…

Maki: The boisterous and prideful girl and Sakaki's little sister. This girl sports an enormous amount of ego, fueled by the belief that all persons are below her, a superiority-inferiority complex. However, she's also quick to get flustered and broke down in tears, especially in the company of those she know. She and her brother's blonde hair comes from being half-English, from their mother's side. Also a little bit tsundere, like Kurumi. A composite character of Misaka Mikoto and Shoukuhou Misaki from the Index/Railgun verse too.

Ryuuko: The also cheerful girl, the redhead is Shuuya's little sister and the third person of the little sister's trio. She's a little similar to Mifune Ryuuko of Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko anime but with red hair of course. Unlike her brother, who takes sport very seriously, she's more of an indoors type. Sewing and cooking that she knows, a cat lover she also is. She's also the more normal among the three, with the exception of her very good Home Economics skills.

Kenji: The father of Yuuta and Ruiko, he was the one who released the undead virus to the world. Having the exact same face as Yuuta, he researched his family's history and was the one who unearthed the legend of the sword's past. His quest for immortality stems from an information that he discovered during his research, and that was his goal ever since. He's basically Setou Kenji from the visual novel Katawa Shoujo(as if it wasn't obvious) without his glasses and having blue eyes.

Mina: The mother of Yuuta and Ruiko, also Kenji's wife. A typical housewife that cares for her children and family. She's not actually gentle when she and her husband first met, however.

Kirimaru: The ancestor of Yuuta and Kenji, a great swordsman from several thousands of years ago, and a person of mystery. He and five other swordsmen teamed together to neutralise the undead threat devastating the land at the time. They later met a foreign-looking girl who joined them and ended up becoming his wife. His appearance is just like Yuuta and Kenji, but with black eyes instead of blue.

And there you have it, a short description of my OCs in this story so far. There may or may not be some more, but there will be a little if there is. Anyway, leave a review and good luck in your life.

See you later in the next chapter~


	15. Chapter 15: The Important Day

Chapter 15 - The Important Day

"Are you nervous?"

Combing her pink hair, Aki asked a quite obviously shaking Yuki.

"Err, yes. Yes, I am. I don't know why, though," replied the girl. Today was the day where she will speak her vows of matrimony to Yuuta after a week of preparation for the ceremony. She didn't want the event to go wrong, she couldn't let it go wrong(she could practically hear Yuuri and Ryuuko saying the words to her right now… just as they've done until thirty minutes ago) because it was going to be a wonderful day, with all her friends(alright, there's not much of them) seeing her and Yuuta.

"Close your eyes for a minute," instructed Aki.

Yuki did as she's told and let the older woman put some make-up on her face. While waiting for her to finish, the pinkhead's mind wandered towards her boyfriend… I mean fiance. She hadn't seen him for a few days, due to all the deal with this traditional style wedding, and frankly, she missed him so much that she tried sneaking out of her room yesterday to meet him. Too bad Miki foiled her plan, but the point is, she was feeling very lonely without Yuuta by her side, even if Miki and occasionally the other girls were there to accompany her. All she wanted the last fee days was to run to his side and never leave him ever again, but now that the day for their wedding has finally come, she was feeling nervous all of a sudden. She didn't know what brought the feeling, was it anxiety of doing something she never did before, eagerness of an event she's part of, happiness at finally being with the one she loved, or scared of doing something new and uncommon for her? Her mind was filled with these questions and she doesn't know the answer.

"You can open your eyes now," spoke the orange-haired girl finally. Then, she picked a hair ornament that was sitting on the table and placed it on top of Yuki's tied hair. "Well, what do you think?" She said as she smiled proudly to herself.

Looking at herself in the mirror in front of her, Yuki 's eyes glazed over the kimono that she wore. The kimono was white snow in colour, a pure colour suited for her nature and name. Besides the colour, there were also some floral decorations, mostly of flowers that grow in the winter season. Sneaked among the flowers were cat patterns, like her hat, that was definitely deliberate on Ryuuko's part. Yuki chuckled a little as she looked at them. Next, she stared at her face. For the ceremony, she was quite obviously not allowed to don her cat ear-shaped hat and because of that, her hair, thoroughly combed now by Aki, was flowing straight from her head and tied in a typical style for a bride. Atop it was the hair ornament that was placed by Aki, which was not quite heavy as she thought. After the, she viewed her face in the mirror. Truthfully, she was surprised and couldn't believe that the person staring back at her is herself. She looked very different from her usual self, and she seemed to emit a glow of light from her being. In her mind, she wondered if this was what Megu-nee meant when she said that Yuki's going to be a beautiful woman someday.

"Yes, it's nice," Yuki replied to Aki. "Thanks, Aki-san!"

"No problem!" Cheerfully, the woman answered. Then, her eyes caught the look on Yuki's face as her head lowered. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I… I don't know if I'm ready yet for this," said Yuki, her voice low. "Maybe… it is a little too early for me to accept Yuu-kun's proposal. There's still many things to do, after all. And I can't be selfish towards others by pursuing my own happiness while everyone's still struggling to live. Perhaps… it's better if…"

"If we do this later?" Finished Aki, a knowing look in her eyes. The younger girl nodded, eyes still fixed on the ground. "And how do you know that you'll be able to do this later?" Asked the older girl, in which Yuki raised her head back up and stared at Aki.

"What makes you think that you'll be able to have this ceremony later in your life?" Aki asked again. "Do you think you'll have an opportunity to do so tomorrow, next week, next month, or next year? Could you, and Yuuta-san, still be alive and well when that other time comes?"

The pinkhead shook her head. "I don't know. I… don't know," she admitted.

"Then, that's all the more reason to do this right now!" Spoke Aki with the same cheerfulness as before. "You've got to grab any chance that you see and seize the day, not just for yourself, but also for others!"

Yuki giggled, her usual optimism returning. "Thanks again, Aki-san! That really helped a lot," the woman smiled at the response. "But… I'm still feeling a bit nervous. Is that normal?"

"Ah, those are just the pre-wedding jitters that I heard about," Aki waved her hand as if waving the issue away. "They're normal among brides, so you don't have to worry much. Just be yourself and you'll be fine." Yuki's mouth formed into a smile at the reply. "Now, let's get you out there so your soon-to-be-husband can see how pretty you are!"

* * *

"Are you nervous, Kiriha?"

Shuuya asked as he adjusted the armband on his left arm which had 'Security' written on it. His brass knuckles were on the table in the room where he and Yuuta were currently in, half an hour before the wedding ceremony between him and Yuki will commence.

"What? No, of course not," spoke Yuuta while he walked restlessly around the space. "Nervous? Ha! I'm perfectly fine, not anxious at all. Especially not about the fact that I'm going to have an exchange of wedding vows with Yuki about thirty minutes from now. Nope, I'm as calm as the sea."

"Kiriha…" Shuuya raised his voice just a little bit higher than normal, which caught his friend's attention. "It's fine to act this way. This is a serious and important event after all. I imagine every groom would experience these kinds of nervousness… even your father."

The mention of his father irked Yuuta and he stopped walking. "If that's true, then that's all the more reason for me to not act like this!" He shouted at Shuuya who's knees suddenly began trembling. "That bastard was the reason I got in this situation in the first place! Though I don't regret the results, I still won't thank him for his meddling in my personal life! I'll show everyone that I'm a better human than he is," his voice lowered, he glared at his redhead friend. "Am I clear?"

"Y-Y-Yes, K-Kiriha…" stuttered Shuuya, his body shaking vehemently but unnoticed by Yuuta who took that moment to sigh. When he opened his eyes again, his tone was more normal and gentle.

"Sorry Shuuya, I guess I went kinda overboard there," the blackhead apologized. "You're absolutely right. I am nervous about his whole wedding thing. What was I really thinking, proposing to Yuki out of the blue like that? Again, I don't regret it, of course."

Seeing Yuuta looking troubled, the elder Akazawa sibling relaxed and stepped closer to his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder assuredly. "No worries, Kiriha. I know how stressful it is to suddenly being subjected to a new experience, and the results after. But…" Yuuta lifted his head and saw Shuuya smiling at him, a genuine smile that was only reserved to those especially close to him. "I believe you wanted this too, don't you? To live with Yuki-san, to be together with her, sharing in each other's warmth and compassion, knowing that there's someone who loves you just as much as you love them, isn't that why you are here today?" Retreating backwards a few steps, the redhead pointed his right index finger at Yuuta. "I believe in you. And if you can't believe in yourself, then believe in the me that believes in you."

Hearing those words, Yuuta chuckled, as predicted by Shuuya. "Thanks for the assurance, Shuuya. However, I prefer to believe in the me that believes in myself, rather than in others. No offence."

"No," his friend shook his head. "That's how things actually are, after all."

Yuuta stared at Shuuya, confused on what his words meant but the door chose to open at that moment. "Hey, are you ready yet, Yuuta?"

The voice belonged to Kurumi, who peeked her head over the door frame before entering the room fully. "Hoo hoo~ You look really good in that, if I may say so," she complimented on Yuuta's current attire.

Just like Yuki, Yuuta also wore traditional clothes for this event in his case, a dark black yukata that matches the colour of his hair. On the fabric, there are several sword patterns engraved upon it, the design similar to Tamashiha. Also, unlike Yuki's kimono, there's no stealth shape on his cloth(at least he hoped) since he warned Ryuuko not to place anything unnecessary. All in all, he does look 'good', as Kurumi remarked.

"Your compliment is a pleasure to me," Yuuta bowed a little, which elicited a laugh from the purple-haired girl. Straightening himself, he asked Kurumi. "Is everything ready outside?"

"Yeah, everything ready for the ceremony," replied Kurumi. "Shuuya-san, you better go out now. I don't feel good leaving only Miki protecting the others."

"Understood," Shuuya nodded and equipped his brass knuckles. He then started walking towards the door. "See you later at the reception, Kiriha."

"You know, if everything goes well enough between you and Ri-san I would be the one saying that to you," a tumbling sound was heard in the hallway by the two inside the room after Yuuta said those words.

Laughing, Kurumi and Yuuta stared at each other in silence, not knowing what to say in the situation. As always, Yuuta let the other broke the quietness.

"So… this is it, huh? The big day," commented Kurumi in which Yuuta nodded in silence. "I never thought this day would come, and so early at that," Yuuta didn't reply and let her continue. "To think, that Yuki of all people would be the first among us to marry someone, and for that someone to be you, Subaru-kun's friend. Life is really strange, huh?"

"That's true," Yuuta spoke, eyes gazing out of the window. "To think that not a month ago I wouldn't even consider the prospect of marrying someone in this world, and now look where I am, fifteen minutes before I marry the girl that I love. If this is not destiny then I don't know what is." Clutching the sword in his hands tightly, he said. "I just wished that Sakaki was here, as is Ruiko and my mother. As for my father… there's no way I'll let him a hundred meters close to the stage. He doesn't deserve to be near us."

"Yes, I do hope Subaru-kun is here too," remarked Kurumi, her voice low. "But then again, my friend's getting marked today, so I can't look sad in front of her. It would surely dampen the mood."

The boy sighed. "I sure hope everything will go well today. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen on this important date."

"I'm sure everything's gonna be alright!" Kurumi slapped Yuuta's back. "We've been preparing for this day for a week already. Just go out there and try not to be nervous."

"Me? Nervous? You've got to be joking," Yuuta laughed but stopped when Kurumi stared at him with sceptical eyes. "Okay, maybe I am a little bit nervous, but there's nothing weird with that. This is going to be an important day for me and Yuki after all."

Smiling at his anxiety, Kurumi walked towards the door. Before exiting the room, he turned to Yuuta. "Just remember your reason for doing this and you'll be fine, this my advice," she spoke with confidence and left Yuuta alone in the room.

"Heh, a good advice that is," smirked Yuuta. "I suppose the time has come for me to go outside too," and with that, he grabbed his sword and closed the door to the room.

* * *

In the courtyard of St. Isidore's College, a small and low stage was constructed on the side. Decorated with simple wallpaper along with some pots of flowers on the wooden stage, it was the place where an important ceremony will be conducted.

In front of the stage, several large mats were scattered on the ground. On top of them, several cushions were situated, the sitting place for the guests. Sitting on one of these cushions were a little girl with red hair and chocolate brown eyes. Beside her was another girl of the same age as her with long blonde hair and hazel coloured eyes. The two were currently chatting about the event that will begin soon.

"I'm so excited for this!" Squealed the redhead. "Aren't you excited, Maki-chan?"

"I'm not," the blonde replied cooly. "After all, this is just a wedding ceremony, and for another person at that. I don't know why you're so jumpy about this thing, Ryuuko."

"But, it's still a wedding ceremony," Ryuuko exclaimed happily. "And it's for Yuuta-san and Yuki-san! Can't you at least be a bit happy for them?"

"I'll be happy for them when I have my own wedding and they're happy for me. Until then, I won't even pretend that I'm cheerful," the response that Maki sent a shock to her friend. However, she smirked evilly a second after.

"Then, let me make you happy right now."

"Huh? What do you me-" before she got to finish her question, Maki was suddenly tackled by Ryuuko who proceeded to tickle her sides. "Stop it Ryuuko! Stop it!" Cried the blonde in between laughs with tears in her eyes. Her pleas were ignored by the redhead who continued to attack her with a giggle.

"Ehem!"

Hearing the sound, Ryuuko turned her head and was met with the stern face of an older girl with long brown hair looming intimidatingly before her. She immediately released her hold on Maki and trembled slightly in front of the imposing figure. "Err… hi, Ri-san…"

Yuuri, not lowering her scary aura, spoke to the younger girl with authority. "Ryuuko-chan," the middle schooler straightened her back fearfully. "Please be respectful towards the others. I can understand that you're excited about the event but please restrain yourself a little. Do you understand me?" Increasing the volume of her aura as she said so.

"Hai!" Ryuuko quickly answered and saluted the older girl. "I'm sorry, Ri-san! Please spare me!"

Satisfied with her role(though she's just a little bit confused on why the little girl reacted like that), Yuuri went back to her seat which was beside Touko.

"I say, you're really good in controlling your club members," commented the college student. "She listened to you straight away without resistance."

Yuuri sighed but smiled at her fellow club representative. "It's not actually easy actually. Most of the time they just do as they like and I can only reprimand them when they're in my line of vision. It didn't help that our numbers are more than the start."

"I see," Touko said while adjusting her glasses. "That's the same for me. Though I have fewer members than you do, and they're not actually doing anything dangerous, but since we're technically adults now, it's hard to instruct anyone to do anything since you've got no right to command someone who's equal to you, even if you're their leader. Especially that Rise."

While the two women were discussing the problems their club members were giving them, five peoples approached the place. Three of them were male while the other two were female. In their hands were various kinds of weapons and their clothes were definitely not suited for the current occasion.

"It seems that they haven't started yet," remarked Ayaka, the woman with long black hair and piercing grey eyes. "But we did arrive early."

"Seems true," said the man leading them, Takahito, as he looked around the venue. "That means we have some time to go around and talk to them before the ceremony starts."

"Hoo~ now that's a well-constructed stage," Takashige, the guy with a crowbar stated. "And the place's not so bad either. There's really that wedding feeling in here." Taking off his hat and dusting the dust from it as he looked around.

Sino, the tall woman standing at the back of the group stared at the venue built for the occasion. Beside her, Renya also took in the sight of many peoples sitting on the mats and chatting with each other as if what's happening outside the university walls doesn't bother them at all.

"Ren," feeling a pull on his shirt, the glasses guy looked at Sino who's actually smiling at the setting. "Do you think, we can do something like this too, someday?"

Renya wanted to say that it was impossible, seeing that the world was basically hell to them. However, the look of delight on the girl's face prevented him from uttering the words. "Maybe," instead, he gave a vague answer.

Right about then, Takahito saw a guy with red hair running towards them. It was the same guy that accompanied the boy named Kitlriha Yuuta during their meeting with them.

Stopping to a halt in front of the group of five, Shuuya greeted them. "Hello, Touko-san was expecting and hoping for you all to come. Would you like to take a seat?" He gestured towards the sitting place. "But before that, please leave your weapons away from the venue. I'm sure there's an extra table lying around," he started looking for a place to place the Melee Fight Crew's dangerous equipment. "This is a wedding ceremony, not a yakuza meeting, you know," the redhead added.

"If so, then why are you still equipped with those?" Asked Ayaka sceptically, pointing at the brass knuckles in Shuuya's hand.

"Oh, these?" Lifting his hands, Shuuya answered. "That's because I'm the security guard for this ceremony. Kiriha had entrusted me with the task of making sure this ceremony is not interrupted by anything, or anyone," the boy looked at the peoples in front of him. "So please, do not bring your weapons into the place or interrupt the ceremony… or else."

Hearing the threat, Takahito and his crew members begrudgingly and reluctantly placed their fighting equipment(baseball bat, crowbar, crossbow, ice pick) on top of a table Shuuya brought a few seconds later. All except Ayaka who kept her pocket knife(and another) inside her pockets. With the security check done, they moved towards the centre of the venue and sat on the cushions placed.

"Oh, so you finally arrive, huh?" Touko said when she noticed them. "Good thing too. The ceremony's about to start anyway."

"I still think all this is a waste of resources," remarked Takahito, his eyes glancing at the surrounding area. "We should be focusing on maintaining our lives, not organising stupid events like this."

Sighing, Touko replied. "I've said this to you before but looks like I've got to say it again. Nothing about this is wasteful. We are moving forward in our lives, instead of just staying stagnant in the present or searching for uncertain hopes. This is what living is like, not surviving, but living our lives to the fullest, even if the world hates us," beside her, Yuuri nodded at the speech.

"That being said, how did thus happen anyway?" Questioned Takashige, his hands behind his head. "If our information is correct, they're both still in high school, right? Isn't that too young to exchange vows.?"

"In this world, we live in right now, does age really matters? If you ask me, it's better for them to be wedded this early. Tomorrow is full of uncertainty after all," the Crew's leader gave her response.

"Is that so?" Spoke Ayaka, her voice cold and unnerving to others. "Then when are you going to do it?" She smirked in a teasingly evil way.

"Guh!" Touko acted as if an arrow stroke her heart. "You don't have to be concerned about that!" The woman blurted out. "I'll definitely find some hot guy sooner or later.

The black-haired woman grinned before reverting back to her usual expression. "Very well then. I'll wait to see if your words are true or not."

"Grrrr, she's definitely making fun of me," muttered the glasses girl. She continued to growl until she saw another person sitting beside her.

"Hey, guys! Sorry I'm late. Got to dress the bride and such," the person was Aki who had just returned from her job of preparing Yuki for the ceremony. "Man, I didn't expect dressing and applying make-up to a person about to marry would be hard and tiring. Then again, I kind of enjoy it a bit," she then turned to her left. "Ah, hello Sino. How are you doing?"

"Erm… I'm fine," the woman replied shyly.

Aki smiled at the response. "That's okay then. So, I take it you guys are not so excited for the event?"

"This whole thing is a waste."

"Definitely unnecessary."

"I'm excited about the food!"

"I'm a little curious I guess."

"Me too…"

The answer given by the five(Takahito, Ayaka, Takashige, Renya and Sino) were half-expected by Aki and she grinned at them. Not long after that, Hika came to join them but sat next to Touko and hid her figure behind Touko(not very effective obviously). A few minutes later, the other remaining guests arrive and sat on their designated place on the two rows of cushion. The seating is as follows;

For the right half starting from the spot farthest from the stage: Takashige, Ayaka, Takahito, Maki, Ryuuko, Yuuri, and Kurumi.

For the left half starting from the spot farthest from the stage: Renya, Sino, Aki, Touko, Rise, and Miki.

As the sun begins its slow ascent on the sky, the ceremony also begins. From the right of the stage, a man clad in a jet black yukata with sword pattern decorations and carrying a sheathed sword climbed onto the platform. At the same time, a woman dressed beautifully in a flower themed white kimono came into view and ascends the stairs, tripping slightly in the process(and giggling bashfully at her clumsiness) before stopping in front of the man, both of them at the center of the stage facing each other with a low table and a medium-sized cup along with a bottle of sake between them.

Bowing to each other, the bride and groom then sat on the cushions prepared for them. Staring at their partner, Yuuta and Yuki couldn't help but blush and smile at the situation. Well, they are going to do an important ceremony that will change the way they live their lives afterwards so, it's a given for them to behave like this.

"So, err…" the sudden voice comes from Miki who had stood up and held a microphone( operation enabling courtesy of Hika, as is the video camera Rise's holding at the moment) in front of her mouth, looking at a piece of paper and trying not to sound nervous. "We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the exchange of vows between Kiriha Yuuta-san and Takeya Yuki-san. On behalf of them, I thank you all for coming," she bowed, and cleared her throat when she rose back.

"The sun may set for today, but it will not always rise again the next," Miki began her speech. "For what happens tomorrow shall never be known to us, but still, what we can do is hope and pray for the best. Even knowing that, these two peoples do not care for the saying. They love each other, they desire one another and wanted to stay by each other's side for eternity. They know the uncertainty of the future, of how they may be separated, lost, gone, or lose their lives, and the heartache that follows would surely break their hearts. Even then, nothing would stop them to find and seek the other's warmth and love, for their spirit and destiny had become intertwined with each other. And I believe in them too." Crumpling the paper now, she continued with tears welling up in her eyes. "Because I've seen their interaction with one another, how they care for their partner and friends, the protection they provide, lifting the spirits of others, and still remaining alive and well in this world. It is for that reason I respect them and believe in the path they will surely show us for the future. Their love for each other is just that strong and obvious. It is because of that, that I also believe that they will prevail in this world, no matter what challenges and sufferings shall befall them. I will close my speech now, with a thank you for these two important people in my current life. Thank you," turning around, Miki bowed her head a little at the couple. Then, she sat back on her seat.

After the opening words were said, the ceremony continues. Yuuta stood up and placed his sword on the sword holder on the wall. Compelling Yuki to join him, the two stood before Tamashiha, The Sword that Reflects One's Soul, and Yuuta bowed to the sword followed by Yuki as the representation of a small shrine since the blade's long history and connection to the family qualifies it as more than a mere family heirloom, but also an object of respect. It's also the way his great-great-grandfather performs the ceremony(since the country was in the middle of a war at the time(in which he didn't participate) and his father was gone) and he decided to follow it.

Finished paying their respect, the two sat back in their respective place. The groom, Yuuta, poured a little amount of sake into the cup and took it, taking three sips before refilling it and offering the cup to the bride. Then, the process is repeated with more amount of sake but with Yuki drinking first, then Yuuta. The third and final pouring begins again with the groom then the bride and with a larger amount of sake. Placing the cup on the table, the next procedure begins.

Rising up again, the pair stood before the sword altar once again, facing each other. Opening his mouth, Yuuta started first with the reading of his vows.

"So, this is where it leads us, huh?" Said the boy, smiling widely in an unnatural(at least for him) way. "To think that the road I took would bring me to this destination, I'm really grateful for what had happened thus far. And I have no doubt that more things would happen later that will probably separate us or bring us closer than before. Even so, I do wish to follow this choice the I made along the way until the end… with you by my side. Protect you I will, and in exchange, I ask that you will protect me too from the dangers of this current world," Yuki smiled sweetly at the speech. Turning around to face the guests, Yuuta shouted his next words. "And so, hear my vow O World! Know that this being has to choose to commit himself to this person! Hurt her and not even the gods will stop me from sending the one who dares hurt her to the bottom of the deepest hell! I hereby seal this vow with my own life!" Grabbing Tamashiha, he stood tall and proud on the stage, proclaiming his unwavering promise to the world. Members of the Campus-Life Club and the Crew(yes, even Maki) looked on in awe at the declaration.

"He he. Yuu-kun, you don't have to say it like that," spoke Yuki embarrassingly in response to her partner's over-the-top behaviour. "But still, thank you for the promise. I really appreciate it. You've said everything that I wanted to say, so I couldn't add any further. But, do know that I would surely love you till the day where we must part worlds. However, even if that happens, I will wait for you, as I'm sure you will always come back to me in one way or another, no matter how long it will take. Even if I must wait and hope for the ever distant future." Bowing at Yuuta, she uttered her vows. "I hereby accept my role as your wife. May we have a harmonious and lasting life in this world, Yuu-kun."

Having said their vows, Maki approached the couple, carrying their rings on a cushion. Thanking her, Yuuta and Yuki took the respective other's ring and looked at their partner in the eyes before slipping the circle metal into the other's ring finger.

Instantly, the crowd clapped and cheered, all except Ayaka and Takahito who looked at the scene with only partial interest. After the exchange of rings were completed and the ceremony technically over, the newly wedded pair stood on the platform for a while longer as their friends cheered and showered them with congratulations and blessings. Standing around the couple, everyone posed for the wedding photo. Ayaka grumbled at being asked for such a thing(since she was the one who didn't want to join) and resigned after just two pictures. The photo section continued after that with Yuki and Yuuta dealing with(almost) everyone wanting a photo with them. When the situation calmed down a bit, Yuuri and Ryuuko brought out the meals prepared for the occasion. Dishes of varying foods were placed on the table situated between the two row of seats. No wedding cakes though.

The rest of the ceremony was then spent on celebrating and eating and talking among the members of the three group. Chatting, playing games and even laughing, it was a rare day for everyone to take a break from the reality outside the college walls and just enjoy themselves with each other's company. Notable interactions that got captured with Rise's camera include: Yuki inhaling her meals while Yuuta sighed beside her, Kurumi trying to feed some food to a red-faced Miki, Yuuri and Ryuuko performing a boke and tsukomi routine on the stage, Touko persuading Hika to come onto the stage and sing, a full Renya lying his head on Sino's lap, Aki surprising Ayaka who proceeded to chase her angrily around the venue, Shuuya and Takashige discussing about which athletes they look up to, and finally Takahito who made the mistake of talking to Maki, now having to endure her overly long speech about philosophy and religion and the bad effects of a survivalist attitude. Overall, all of them enjoyed the day and had plenty of fun. Even Maki admitted it(no one wanted to ask Ayaka since she's as scary as a shinigami).

Finally, after several hours of celebrating, it was time to officially end the ceremony. Yuuta and Yuki bowed one again to the sword altar before declaring the closing of the ceremony. After that, the cleaning process began in which everyone but the Melee Fight Crew(they escaped early) helped.

* * *

"Ri-san! Everything is done over here! What about you!?"

Miki yelled over from one end of the field towards her upperclassman. In front of her were several plastic bags of trash.

"All done here too," Yuuri replied as she comes out from behind the stage carrying two bags of trash. "All that's left is to throw these away to somewhere suitable."

"Let me do it. I know the place," said the white-haired girl. "Only the trash needs to be taken out, right? Shuuya-san and Kurumi-senpai already took care of everything else." Looking around her, the mats, cushions and table including the small sound system gone, having been moved inside earlier by the two peoples.

"But… you'll be alone. Will you be alright?" Asked Yuuri worriedly. "Perhaps I should accompany you."

Miki shook her head. "There's no need for that. I'm stronger than you think I am, Ri-san. And anyway, I still have my sword," she lifted her sword in the air. "So I believe I'm going to be fine. I promise not to go anywhere dangerous."

"Well… if you insist…" Yuuri sighed. "But please hurry. The Sun's going to set soon and I don't want any of my club member to wander around in the night. Do you understand?"

"Hai," nodded the underclassman as she grabbed the full trash bag and went off on her way.

"I wonder if she became like this due to Yuuta-kun," the town haired girl wondered as she looked at Miki. She then sighed again and walked towards the campus building.

* * *

"Iyah," Miki grunted as she placed the final plastic bag inside the empty shed to join others of its kind. "Yosh, now that's finished my job is done." Said the girl and she begins to go back towards the main building.

Along the way there, she saw a large wall structure closing of the insides from the outside world. Feeling curious, she approached it and tried to look for an opening to peer inside. Not finding any, she pressed one ear to the wall to hear what was inside. What she heard were growls and groans, and she immediately knew what the place was.

'Graves…' she remembered the map Hika drew for them. Also remembering that the forbidden chemistry room was near, she decided to search for it against her better judgement.

It doesn't take her too long to find the building and she was soon standing before the door, blocked and tied with ropes, of course. Not knowing what to do now and having satiated her curiosity, Miki turned around and started walking back from where she came from.

That is until the door's intercom crackled with noise a second later. Then, a voice was heard.

"Wait, you there!"

Shocked, the girl quickly faced the door again. The voice then spoke again.

"I've been waiting for a long time for this. I have something to ask you."


	16. Chapter 16: Various Peoples

Chapter 16 - Various Peoples

"I have something to ask you."

Still standing at her position, Miki gulped and fearfully approached the door, one hand nearing the tied handles while the other clutching her sword. "Who are you? Are you there?"

"Don't open that door!" The voice shouted. Miki immediately retracted her hand. "I don't want anybody to know that I'm here."

"Then… why did you speak to me?" Asked the girl.

There was a brief pause before a response was heard. "…Why is it?" Questioned the voice to itself. "Since that day, I did research on them here."

"Are they there?" Said Miki.

"You can't do a research without a sample after all," answered the person. "Did you come from outside?"

"Yes."

"The survivors in this university maintain their safety strictly. There will be a huge mess if they found out I have them."

Miki thought of the statement for a second. "I think only the Melee Fight Crew are like that. The others are probably okay."

"Understood, but never speak about me," the figure behind the voice lighted a cigarette and inhaled the smoke.

"I understand. So… did you find out anything new?" Inquired the white haired teen.

Exhaling the smokes out, the person responded. "There's a bit, but…" a long pause came. "Do you really want to know?"

Unexpectedly for the being inside, Miki shook her head. "No, I'm not that interested. I've already known what happened after all," she recounted the information she had acquired. "Most of humanity is now perished, thanks to the undead virus. Not just Japan, but other countries, probably the whole world too had ceased to exist with only a handful of people surviving."

Recovering from the brief shock, the person adjusted the lab coat on her body and questioned the girl. "You seem to be confident about your knowledge."

"Yes, since I've met the person who caused this disaster himself," said Miki, her face grimacing at the sour encounter. "He's a nice-looking and decent person, but I still can't believe how he could choose to do something so catastrophic for such a ridiculous reason."

"Do you know the name of the person?" asked the figure while breathing out another puff of smoke.

Miki nodded her head. "I do. His name is… Kiriha Kenji."

"What!" Surprised by the sudden reaction of the being on the other side of the conversation, Miki took a step back and held her sword in front of her chest.

Realizing her sudden blunder, the researcher calmed herself down and sat back on her chair. Moving her mouth towards the microphone, she spoke towards Miki again. "Girl, are you sure that the name of the person is Kiriha Kenji?"

"Yes, I'm sure," the girl answered. "Because our friend, who's also the person's son, recognises and acknowledges his identity."

"His son, eh?" The figure swivelled in her chair. "I see… so it really was him after all."

"Hmm?" Miki tilted her head at the person's cryptic response. "What do you mean?"

"Nothing," she took another cigarette from its pack. "I don't have anymore question to ask you right now, so you may leave," said the woman. "But if you discover any new piece of information, then I ask that you bring it to me. In exchange, I'll tell you what I know from my research on them."

"Then, I take my leave now," bowing a little, Miki then walked away from the chemistry room, in her mind wondering if she should tell the others or maybe Yuuta about the person, considering she reacted strongly at the mention of Dr Kenji's name. The thought kept stirring in her mind as she entered the campus building.

Meanwhile, inside the chemistry lab, the researcher who've been talking to Miki previously spun around, a cigarette in her mouth. Standing up, she strode towards the curtained windows but did not part them away. Instead, she leant her body onto the wall and puffed another column of smoke into the air, her eyes staring at the ceiling.

"So, it really was you who did all this," she said in a contemplative manner. "To think that you actually did it, I'm impressed and a little bit surprised. I know that you were always obsessed with the research and idea of immortality, but do you really have to drag everyone along with you? Have you really changed that much since meeting her…"

"…Kenji-senpai."

* * *

Peering around the corridor, a woman watched cautiously for any being near her. Finding no one, she quickly approached a door and knocked, still being aware of her surroundings.

"Ren, are you sleeping?"

Not receiving any answer, she cranked down the handle and opened the door. Looking into the darkness of the room, she entered and spotted the sole inhabitant sleeping on his mattress in a messy manner with arms and legs stretched in different directions. He didn't snore, though. His glasses, casual clothes and hat meanwhile were placed neatly by his side, indicating that he moved into his current position in his sleep.

Stifling a giggle, the woman closed the door and brushed a little of her light brown hair backwards before crouching down, shaking the guy's body gently with her hand.

Perhaps tired(or sleepy, or both), the guy doesn't wake up from his slumber until a minute of gentle shaking later. Lifting his upper body up and yawning, he reached blindly for his glasses before the woman kindly gave them to him. His vision clear now, he looked forward and saw the woman's innocent-looking face staring at him. Rubbing his hair, he asked in a tired manner. "Sino, why did you wake me up?"

The tall woman smiled before replying. "Nothing. I just wanted to see if you're okay or not."

"That's not the only reason, right?" Questioned Renya. "You would know if I had been infected or not from our tests, and I'm still alive from being with those guys," he referred to the Campus-Life Club and the Crew. "So, what's wrong?"

Sino looked startled and embarrassed at being found out so quickly from a recently sleeping person, so she lowered her head and twiddled her fingers uncharacteristically. "I-I was just w-wondering if I could… you know… sleep together with you for tonight."

"Sure, why not?" Renya replied. He brought one hand on top of her head and patted it, causing Sino to lift her head, surprised and even more embarrassed than before. "You just have to ask… and make sure the others don't find out about us so obviously." With that said, he lay back on his mattress, leaving some space free and urging Sino to join her.

Not wanting to waste the opportunity, the woman lay beside Renya and pulled the covers over them. Hugging the guy, she fell asleep with Renya joining her a few moments later.

* * *

Inside a bathroom, a man looked into the mirrors, his blond hair and determined eyes reflecting back at him. Clutching the sides of the sink, he moved closer towards his reflection to look for any signs of something different or unnatural, but he found none.

"It really is gone," Takahito said in a note-so-surprised voice. "How can this happen?" He asked himself, still uncertain on what to make of the discovery. "But there's no way it would disappear just like that. I've tested it on others before, and they never went away, not once."

Finally removing himself from his looking at his reflection, he turned the knob, letting the water rush out, and splashed some onto his face. Closing the flow, he straightened his back and walked out of the bathroom, mind still thinking about his condition.

'Did something happen a week ago?' Questioned Takahito, fingers on his chin. 'After all, the symptoms started to disappear around that period, so there must be something. But, I can't think of anything important happening in that time frame. I didn't eat anything strange or even go outside, aside from chasing those kids when they got here, so what is it?' Letting his feet guide him to his room, he let his mind wander on the topic.

'Wait, there was something happening during that time,' the blond man paused in his steps. 'There was our meeting with those peoples and the other two guys joined us. I remember him threatening me with his sword near my neck and… somehow the blade was glowing despite the curtains being closed and there being no other possible source of light, but… could that really be the reason?' Takahito shook his head. 'No, it can't be. That's just ridiculous. There's no way his sword can cure the infection. I was chosen,' he closed his fist dramatically. "Yes, I was chosen to lead them, so I couldn't become like the others. Yes, that must be it," smirking, the guy walked towards his living quarters and rest, though his mind was still a little bit confused about the matter of him being seemingly cured of the undead infection.

* * *

It was now morning, and the sun had already shine its bright ray on the Earth's surface and what's left of humanity. One of the places its shine reaches is a small room, within it two peoples lying close to each other and their hands placed on the respective other's body. The blankets that covered them hides the fact that they're only clad in their underwear.

Hindered by the curtains, only a narrow stroke of sunlight entered the room. However, that is enough as the ray landed on the face of one of the two peoples, the male one, and his face slowly turned into a grimace. Not long after, he brought one hand to shield the light while opening his eyes for the first time that morning. Blinking, the boy lifted his upper body up from the comfortable futon that he shared with the other inhabitant. The person, perhaps still sleepy, did not seem to react when the guy removed his hand from her body.

Rubbing his eyes, Kiriha Yuuta, member of the Campus-Life Club, current heir to the Kiriha family and now husband of Takeya Yuki(or should I say, Kiriha Yuki) stood up and walked towards the window, parting the curtains and allowing the sunlight to fully illuminate the small room which he shares with his wife(a blush crept onto his cheeks when he said the word). Stretching his body, Yuuta went to his closet, or the cabinet in which he placed his morning clothes a.k.a his school uniform. Not wanting to wake Yuki up, he silently put on the attire.

"Hmm… Yuu-kun?"

Hearing a sound coming from behind him, Yuuta paused from buttoning his shirt up. Turning around, he was beheld with the sight of Yuki rubbing one eye and one hand holding the blanket, covering her small-but-not-quite-small body. Her tone was sleepy, and her face still had the dreamy look so commonly associated with her.

Realizing that he's just staring at her, Yuuta opened his mouth to respond. "What is it, Yuki?" Walking closer and kneeling down in front of her. "Is something wrong?"

"Hehehe, it's not that," the pinkhead shook her head. "I just had a dream."

"A dream?" Repeated the boy.

"Yes, a dream. In it, you and I were walking towards one another atop a stage, where we spoke our vows and get married, with the others watching. Many people were cheering on us, and we exchanged the wedding rings; it felt a little loose though for me. After that, everyone celebrated merrily and happily, it was fun for everyone. Well, almost everyone, but the point is, it was a happy dream and one that I'm reluctant to wake from, as though it were real. Strange, isn't it?" Yuki finished explaining.

Yuuta smiled, a very gentle and calm smile, before taking Yuki's hand with his own. "It's not a dream. Everything you saw was real, we did have a wedding ceremony yesterday, and we are married right now," caressing the pink ring on her finger, the blue-eyes boy kissed his wife's hand. "So, don't be scared of waking up; I'll always be beside you from now on whenever you do."

"That's very sweet, Yuu-kun," then Yuki suddenly planted a kiss on Yuuta's right cheek. "But I can be sweet too, you see."

Her partner laughed abashedly. "Hahaha, you sure got me by surprise there. But…" holding on her hand, Yuuta gently pulled Yuki over to him, making their lips meet together for a brief moment before separating. "I can be surprising and sweet too. And now we're even."

"Hmm…" the girl pouted cutely. "Yuu-kun, that cheating."

The boy just smirked and throw his hands to the side. "All's fair in love and war, they say. Now come on, get dressed. I don't want Miki or Kurumi to break into his room uninvited again."

"Hey, Yuu-kun," Yuki spoke in an uncertain manner. "Do you think you can… er… help me put on my clothes? You know, since we're married now." Twiddling her fingers as she said so.

Sighing, Yuuta walked away before coming back with the pinkhead's clothes. "You know, it's usually the girl who's supposed to help the guy with his apparel, not the other way around," he remarked. "But since the world we're living in is not exactly normal anymore, I can let this matter slide. Now get up."

* * *

"Good morning everyone!"

That was the sound of a cheerful girl expressing her greeting to her friends and thankfulness that she's still alive in the world.

Contrary to what you may believe, that was not the voice of Yuki. Instead, the greeting was said by Akazawa Ryuuko.

"What are we having for breakfast today?" The redhead asked.

Striding into the dining room, she places herself between her friend of same age, Maki, and her brother, Shuuya. In front of her was Kurumi and at the section where the preparation of food is taking place, stood Yuuri and Miki. The newlyweds a.k.a Yuuta and Yuki still hadn't shown themselves on the table.

"Good morning, Ryuuko-chan," Yuuri greeted her back. "We're just having miso soup with rice for today. It'll be ready soon," she answered. "But aside from that, why didn't you wake up this morning when I tried to shake you up? Rising up early in the morning is good for your body, so please remember it," the brunette waved her ladle around the group at the table. "And that applies to all of you too."

"Hai~" came the unenthusiastic response.

Not exactly satisfied, Yuuri went back to preparing the meal. It was at that time that two other peoples enter the room. One had pink eyes and matching hair while the other had the contrasting eye colour of blue compared to the former and normal black hair. The former raised her hand in the air with a grin.

"Good morning everyone!"

"Yo. Morning," her partner greeted in a more subdued manner.

"Morning~!" The others reply. "Even after being married, you both are still the same as usual, aren't you?" That comment came from Kurumi, her face a mixture of amusement and bored.

"I think it's better this way," said Shuuya. "The usual Kiriha and Yuki-san is the best after all."

"Onii-san, are you expecting them to act the same even after being husband and wife to each other? That's ridiculous! Of course, they're going to change some way or another."

"As much as I don't want to agree with you, I've got to say that you're right, Ryuuko," Maki opened her mouth. "Married peoples usually equals being a grown up, and being a grown up means being mature, and being mature includes thinking things through before acting. And thinking things through could mean saying less which results in less noise around here. So, that's a good thing."

"Yeah, for you," snarks Kurumi.

"Hai hai, that's enough talking," the arrival of Yuuri prevented, or postponed, Kurumi and Maki's newest confrontation. Setting a pot of miso soup in the middle of the table, she was followed by Miki who's carrying a rice cooking pot and several bowls. Setting them down, the two also took their seat around the table.

Not long after, the members of the Crew also arrived, sans Rise, and the two groups settled on their modest breakfast. Some chatting here and there, talking about the day's objectives, second helpings for who's early enough, and giggles when someone cracked a joke. It was a normal and relaxing scene; a sharp contrast from the world's condition outside the walls. But then, days like these are best appreciated and taken gratefully, lest you get drowned in the stress of surviving.

* * *

"Tch"

Some distance away from the room, facing the windows, Kamiji Ayaka clicked her tongue at the scene. Lowering the binoculars, she spun around on the swivel chair and handed them onto Takahito.

"They seemed relaxed enough," the man commented when he observed the group. "Too relaxed if you ask me."

"So, what are we going to do now?" Spoke Renya while rubbing his cheek uncertainly. "Are we still going to wait for rescue?"

"You mean if there is rescue," Takashige retorted, a cigarette in his mouth. "If what that book the Yuuta guy gave us is true, then there's a good chance we're all on our own without help from the government or military." He breathes out some smoke.

Sitting beside Renya, Sino places her hands on her lap, biting her lower lip. She did not want to believe that there's no chance of them getting rescued, after all that they've endured all this time. Instinctively, she placed a hand on her stomach.

"We've got to think positive. Just because he's speaking the truth doesn't mean he's correct," said Takahito as he leant against one side of the table. "Even if the information he gave us said that only a few shelters exist, there might still be other peoples who survived like us. I refuse to believe there aren't others." The guy slammed his fist on the surface to punctuate his point.

"Then, what do you suggest we do, Takahito?" Asked Renya.

"We'll go to the Randall Corporation," the answer was given by Ayaka, her tone flat and devoid of emotions.

Putting out the cigarette's butt, Takashige opened his mouth. "But, didn't you said that the guy warned that his father who's staying there would eliminate anyone who entered the place? You sure that's a good idea?"

"It doesn't matter," Takahito shook his head slowly. "We'll just have to bust through and take over the place and its supplies. We have the map too, after all," he held the emergency manual booklet in his hand. "And from his words, it seems that the only living person in there is just that father of his. Either that or there are other peoples and he's their leader. Either way, I don't think they will pose such a threat to us, unless they have firearms and know how to use them. If the latter is true, then we have to just defeat them quick and swift before they have a chance to attack."

"You sure this plan will work?" Renya adjusted his glasses and questioned.

"It will work. It must work," replied the team's leader as he clenched his left fist.

Suddenly, Sino stood up from her seat. "When are we going?" She inquired quietly.

"As soon as possible," Ayaka responded. "Perhaps two or three days from now. Depends on how fast we can find enough supplies to last our ride there."

"Oh," the woman sounded a little sad at the reply. It did not go unnoticed by the other female.

"We'll begin our preparation this afternoon," spoke Takahito again. "The sooner we can arrive there the better. Everyone, go and pack on what we'll need for the expedition. You're all dismissed!"

As soon as he said that, Takashige, Renya and Sino filed out of the planning room and to the corridors, leaving Takahito and Ayaka alone in the place.

"You need to relax a bit. Stressing is not good for your body," Ayaka remarked on Takahito's grimacing and painful expression.

The blond guy turned towards her. "I can't help it," he growled. "We're finally going to meet the person who caused all this mess. We can't afford to make a wrong move."

"…Understood," was the violet haired woman's reply. "I'll go find a suitable vehicle for us."

"That would be appreciated," said Takahito before Ayaka exited the room. Alone now, he sat on the chair and placed his hands on the table, tapping the wooden surface boringly while his eyes were trained forward.

"I'll finally meet him, the one who made us all fight for our survival," spoke the man in a low voice. "I will finally get to know… what his motives are."

* * *

Far away from St. Isidore College, in a completely white room with sophisticated medical equipment and machines, stood a lone male in a lab coat, holding several pieces of papers in his hand. The sheets of papers were the results of his findings from the various experiments that he had undertaken for the past few months. Solemnly, he stroked his chin as he contemplated on the information.

"Hmm, so this is the latest prototype, huh?" He spoke, the tone thoughtful and calculating. Standing up silently, he strode towards a door on one part of the wall. Stepping through the exit, one could see a multitude of dried blood splattered on the walls, as well as the remains of people, or corpses as we should say, hanging from the ceiling by a hook.

Taking one look at the various dead bodies in his storage, the researcher took a vial of what seems like a serum from his pocket, inserting it into a syringe and approached one random sample figure.

Carefully, he injected the contents of the syringe through the skin of the dead body, who proceeded to twitch slightly at the sensation, indicating that it was not completely dead but one the many undeads present in the outside world.

Finishing the process, the man stepped backwards a little bit and watched. As he expected, the not-quite-dead body moved about, thrashing its arms and legs in all direction, possibly to get free from its hanging position. However, a minute later the corpse turned immobile, its limbs dangling loosely in the air with no sign of anymore movement.

"Another failure huh?" Complained the researcher.

Sighing loudly, he walked out of the despairing room and into the white-surfaced lab again. Sitting on his chair, the man took turned on his computer and started typing.

'I guess there's only so much I can find out from testing the prototype serum on them,' he thought to himself. 'I'm still alive, and what I need is a test subject that is similar to myself."

Flexing his fingers, Dr Kiriha Kenji looked at his family's photo frame placed beside his monitor. Only lifting the edges of his mouth slightly, he continued on his task.

'Perhaps what I need is a living human subject.'


	17. Chapter 17: Friends, Another Meeting

Chapter 17 - Friends, Another Meeting

"Hey, hey! Let's go play outside again!"

Slamming her palms on the top of the table, the redhead girl gave her proposal for the day's activities.

"Again? I'm too tired to do that," spoke Kurumi while chewing on a piece of crackers. "Can't we do it another day, Ryuuko?"

Shaking her head, Ryuuko replied. "No no. It's important for you all to go outdoors and exercise. It'll help you to stay fit and strong. After all, just studying is boring, right~?" She grinned at the last part.

"Hmph, this coming from someone who finished last in last year's track and meet day?" Remarked Maki.

"Hmph, this coming from someone who didn't participate in anything at last year's track and meet day?" Ryuuko responded on her friend's hypocrisy.

The blonde girl stood up from her seat. "Well, at least I didn't fall down on my face during the cavalry battle."

Ryuuko followed suit with her own comment. "Well, at least I didn't faint at the field due to dehydration… from doing nothing!"

"You're the reason our class lose many points!"

"You're the reason our class is the center of attention for the wrong reasons!"

"You're hopeless!"

"You're detestable!"

"If it wasn't for Ruiko I'll…" Maki stopped short from finishing the sentence, as she's aware that the name was a sensitive topic for the both of them.

"If it wasn't for Ruiko-chan then we'll never be good friends…" said Ryuuko, a sad look on her face.

Miki, who had stayed silent throughout the dispute between the two friends looked at them both. Somehow, she was reminded about all the time when she and her friend Kei had a fight with each other. On the other hand, Kurumi just turned up the volume of the mp3 in her hands and continued reading a manga she got from Touko.

"I'm leaving to find Onii-san," spoke the redhead finally as she rises from her seat. "I'm going to ask him whether he and Ri-san can accompany me outside or not."

Seeing the girl exit the room, Kurumi unplugged the earbuds and said to the other two. "I'm gonna leave too. Gotta find Touko and get a new volume of this thing," she held the manga. "See ya in a few minutes."

As the purple-haired girl walked outside of the room, Miki closes the novel she's reading and turned towards Maki. "Maki-san, why do you spoke like that to Ryuuko-san? I thought the two of you are close friends."

"Haah…" the blonde girl sighed. "Yes, we are friends, but that doesn't mean we don't fight occasionally. Wait, scratch that. We never fight with each other… at least when Ruiko was still alive."

"Ruiko is the name of Yuuta-senpai's little sister, right?" Miki asked. "From what little I heard it seems the three of you were a very tight-knit group, similar to your respective brothers."

Maki absentmindedly picked a piece of cracker and munched on it. "Yeah, what you heard is right, white tops," a vein popped on Miki's forehead at the nickname. "But it actually goes further than that. Ruiko's not only our friend, she's the reason we're friends, to begin with."

"What do you mean?"

Standing up, Maki fetched a bottle of mineral water and unscrewed the cap. "I remember it clearly like it was yesterday, the day when we met."

* * *

"Onii-sama, where are we going?" Asked a blonde girl, her height and small size indicate that she's no older than five years old.

"We're going to meet my friends and their sisters, you see," answered a similarly blonde-haired guy from beside her. He is older than the girl by a margin but he's still just in fifth-grade from his height. "I hope you like them and be friends with each other."

"Friends?" The girl repeated. "But I only want Onii-sama."

Her brother laughed good-naturedly. "Don't worry, they're good peoples and the same age as you too," patting her head, he added. "Well, you three were supposed to meet a month ago but Yuuta's sister suddenly caught a very high fever, so that's why the meeting is postponed to today."

"Who's Yuuta?" Asked the younger blonde while tilting her head.

"Ah, he's one my friends, you know, the one who has black hair and blue eyes," Sakaki replied to his sister's question. "You've seen him before when he visited to play, right, Maki?"

Maki searched in her memory and remembered that one smiling guy who sometimes came to their house to play. There's also that one redhead boy who's always sighing at the back of the guy.

"Um," she nodded.

"Good," the older sibling patted her younger sister. "We're meeting him and his sister right now, along with Shuuya and his own little sister. I assume you remember him too?" Maki nodded again. "Excellent! I don't have to introduce those two to you then if you know them already."

After that sentence, the two siblings walked together for another three minutes before they arrived at a park. As it was the weekends, there were some children playing around them but Sakaki guided them towards two figures standing at the center of the field. They were the black haired and redhead boys that the girl remembered.

"Yo, Yuuta! Shuuya! You waited long?" Sakaki greeted his friends from a far enthusiastically. "Sorry if I'm a little late."

"That's okay. We've just arrived ourselves," said the black haired guy, Yuuta, while smiling.

*sigh* "Even if you're late we'll still wait. You're essential to the group after all," the redhead spoke.

Grinning, the blonde guy approached closer to the two. "So, where are your sisters? They're not coming today?"

"Well, where is _your_ sister?" asked Yuuta, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? What d'you mean? She's right he-" Sakaki turned to his side but discovered that Maki had moved to his back, treating him as a shield from the others. "Come on, Maki. You can't be like this. Just introduce yourself to them. It's not that hard," unfortunately, the girl's hand had already gripped tightly on her brother's shirt.

*sigh* "So your sister is like that too?" Commented Shuuya. "Still, that's better than mine. She's very adamant about not meeting others," walking towards a thick bush, Shuuya called. "Ryuuko, come out from there. The other two had already arrived. You can't hide behind there forever."

Staring at the redhead calling someone's name at the bushes, Maki heard her brother's chuckling. "So, where is your little sister, Yuuta? Is she still in bed, sick?"

Smiling, the black haired person shook his head. "Nope. She's feeling very well actually. There she is," he pointed at a group of small children sitting on the ground, listening to a small girl as if hearing a sermon. "Ruiko! They're here!" Yelled Yuuta.

Hearing the call, Maki expected someone from the group to come. What she didn't expect was for the talking person herself to approach them. She had short black hair like Yuuta, but her eye colour was green instead of blue. More so, she had a smile that seemed almost angelic. "Hehe, sorry Onii-chan. It was so much fun telling stories to them." The girl giggled.

"I hope you're telling them stories and not giving them a shortened version of the world's history," said her brother.

"Onii-chan, you know I don't do something simply. If I'm teaching them history them I'll teach them real history without any unabridged versions," replied the black haired girl. "Ah, sorry. Are these two your friends, Onii-chan?" She pointed at Sakaki and Shuuya. When her brother nodded, she smiled and bowed a little before introducing herself. "Hello there! My name is Kiriha Ruiko, but you can call me Ruiko."

"Nice to meet you, Ruiko-chan," Sakaki replied before forcibly tearing her little sister from his back. "This is Maki. She's a little shy, but I hope you can be friends."

"And this is Ryuuko," spoke Shuuya between breaths, a line of sweat visible on his forehead. In front of him is a little girl of the same as the two with messy red hair, no doubt from being pulled from inside a bush. Her head was directed downwards, so they couldn't see her face. "Please take good care of her."

With the three sisters finally facing each other, their brothers retreated from the scene. "Maki, Ruiko-chan, Ryuuko-chan! Have fun!" Said Sakaki as he and the other two went towards a group of boys their age just ready to play soccer.

Staring down towards the ground, Maki stood in her place silently, not knowing what to say to the girls. She's admittedly clueless in the way of making friends even if she's quite an intelligent person. Glancing sideways, she saw that the other girl, the redhead Ryuuko, was also hiding her face and twiddling her fingers. Raising her head a little bit, she expected Ruiko to also do the same as them.

"What are you two doing?"

Which was why she was surprised when the black-haired girl turned out to be peering close to her face in a confused manner. Instinctively, she let out a shriek which also alerted Ryuuko.

"Sorry sorry, I scared you a bit, huh?" Ruiko rubbed the back of her head while smiling. "But I'm just worried; you two aren't speaking at all. Why?"

The blonde girl, now calmed down after the surprise, stared at the girl in front of her. "I'm just scared. This is the first time I'm meeting someone other than my family outside. I just can't help it, okay?"

"A-Aren't you nervous, Ruiko-san?" Spoke the redhead girl for the first time. "Isn't this your first time meeting other peoples too? I heard you were bedridden for almost a month."

Putting a finger on her chin, the black-haired girl replied. "Eh, I don't actually remember what happened when I was in bed for that month. The only thing I remember from that time was Onii-chan holding my hand and waking up perfectly fine the next morning. It's _mysterious_ , don't you think?" She winked.

"But still, how can you be so relaxed?" Asked Maki. "Most people would feel at least a little bit anxious about meeting other persons, and you just walked right to me without fear. Are you naïve or what!?"

"It's fine, isn't it?" Responded Ruiko. "What matters most right now is we're friends."

"F-Friends?" Maki and Ryuuko both repeated the word.

"Yeah, friends. Isn't it great to be friends with someone?"

"Y-You really want to be f-friends with me?" Said Maki, her voice full of uncertainty. "I-I'm not really good with other peoples, they think I'm too prideful and annoying because of my intellect."

"A-And I'm not bad with other peoples, but I'm scared of the outside," Ryuuko spoke, finally lifting her head and revealing her chocolate brown eyes. "It's a scary world outside, and I don't think Onii-san's strong enough to protect me."

"Hihihi, that's okay," Ruiko smiled and hugged her two new friends. "I never think of others in a bad way, especially those close to me. And if you're scared, then don't worry. I'm quite strong you know?" Chuckling, she released the two girls and patted them on the head. "So, let's be friends, okay?"

Tears began to form in Maki's hazel coloured eyes when she was asked that question. "Um! Thank you, Ruiko."

Her action was followed by Ryuuko. "Thank you, Ruiko-chan, for being my first friend," the girl wiped the droplets leaking from her eyes."

"Hehe, you're welcome," smiling, Ruiko turned her back towards them and pointed at the swings. "So, wanna play? Last one to arrive has to tell a story!" And off she goes ahead of them.

"Hey, no fair!" Shouted the blonde girl as she chased after the girl.

"Ruiko-chan, Maki-chan, wait!" Exclaimed the redhead before following the two girls.

Still running, the black-haired girl turned around and grinned at her two friends. "Haha, hurry up!"

* * *

"And we ended up playing all day until our brothers arrived to pick us up," Maki finishes telling her story. "Hah, how I wished those days would come back."

Miki, who have been listening to the story spoke up. "That Ruiko-san really seems like a nice girl, almost like the current Yuki-senpai."

"Yes, and I believe that's what her brother thought too when he first met the pinkhead," Maki replied. "However, no one can replace Ruiko in our hearts, not even her."

"But… there's something weird, though," commented Miki. "In your story, it seemed that Yuuta-senpai was a lot more cheerful than now and Shuuya-san a little bit gloomy. So how did they change into what they are today?"

*sigh* "Beats me. I'm not that close to the two as their own sisters. If you want information you'd better ask Ryuuko. She's very good in gathering information after all," said the girl. "And, she's never actually a friendly type of person," she added. "Sure, she's cheerful and happy, but she's always a bit wary of strangers and the outside, a trait from when she was young. I hypothesized that the reason she's the cheerful self she is right now is a self-defense mechanism to cope with the current world state by imitating Ruiko's personality and behaviour."

"A self-defense mechanism?" Miki repeated the word, her mind wandering towards Yuki and her issues when they were still sheltering in the school.

"That's right," out of nowhere, Maki had pulled out a smoking pipe(with no smoke) and pointed it at the whitehead girl. "I suspected the shock of suddenly being thrust into a dark world flipped some switch in her head and resulted in her having a mental breakdown. That's one valid reason on why she acts like she did right now."

"And you?" Miki directed the question at the blonde. "How were you able to stay sane and normal when it started?"

The younger girl smirked and raises her nose high. "Simple! By crying. Again. And again. And again. Until I'm relieved and got my emotions back under control. Showing your emotions is a sign that you're human, you know," she informed. "But Ryuuko doesn't do that, and neither does her brother. They kept their emotions inside and tried to stay strong and happy, going as far as to lie towards themselves, denying reality and truth. I'm not like that you see. I never spoke any lie, only truths. That's what Onii-sama always said."

"This coming from a tsundere and a prankster's sister," Miki made a snide remark.

"W-What!? I'm not a tsundere! No! I! Am! Not!" Shrieked Maki at her older club member.

However, Miki had already tuned out Maki's words and was thinking hard on what the girl just said. 'Maki-san said that Ryuuko-san probably has a self-defense mechanism that turned her personality around as a result of the incident. Being siblings, would that mean Shuuya-san also has the same case? From what she says, Shuuya-san acts differently when he was younger compared to now, and Yuuta-senpai's behaviour is also different. Does that mean, some probably traumatising event happened before their middle school years that caused Shuuya-san to change his personality? And could that incident have any relation to Yuuta-senpai?'

"Hey hey hey, what are you talking about?" In came Kurumi, who brought a bunch of mangas in her arms. "Sorry if you're waiting for me. Touko was playing this cool game and asked me to play with her and… I ended up staying for a while."

"Hmph, like we wanted to wait for you," said Maki reverting back to her arrogant persona. "It's much more peaceful here without you around."

Placing the books on the table, the twin tailed girl replied with a smirk. "Oh, don't be like that. I know you secretly like my presence, isn't that right, Maki-chan~"

A shiver travelled through Maki's spine when she heard the words. "Eeei! Don't say that! It's creepy and disturbing! Also, I don't like you!" The blonde shrieked out.

"Hahaha, just messing with you. No need to take it seriously," replied Kurumi as she picked a manga and placed the earbuds back in her ear. "And for the record, I don't like you either," she smiled teasingly.

Just as Maki was about to retort, another person arrived at the room. "Hello? Maki-chan, are you still here?" The person peeked her head from the door. "Thank goodness you're still here. I was afraid what'll I do when I didn't find you in your room."

"What do you want, Ryuuko?" The blonde girl greeted her friend coldly, not forgetting their bickering earlier. "Want to throw more insults at me?"

"What? No," the redhead shook her head. "Listen, I'm sorry for saying some bad things to you before. I was just… well… out of the mood, I think. I didn't watch what I said and we fought. After talking to Ri-san I've calmed down now and I regret what I said so… are we still friends?"

"W-Well, if you wanna be friends with me again then I suppose I have no choice but to accept your friendship," exclaimed Maki in all her tsundere-ness. "I'm sorry for bringing Ruiko's name up, and overall I'm sorry too for insulting you even though you don't deserve it. So yes, we're still friends."

Tears welled up in Ryuuko's eyes as she lunged at her friend. "Oh, Maki-chan! I'm sorry!"

"Gah! Ryuuko! Get off from me!" The blonde girl struggled to escape from her friend's clutches.

"Woah! I didn't expect that! Finish him!" Kurumi shouted a random comment for the manga she's reading.

'You know, there's something that had been bothering me for a while now,' Miki thought to herself, eyebrow twitching and gripping her book tightly.

'Why the hell are these three in my room!?'

* * *

"Is everything ready?"

Commandingly, Takahito asked the question to Renya.

"Yes. There's nothing wrong with the vehicle, our supplies should last us at least five days and the fuel is enough for the go and return trip, if the calculation is correct," the glasses guy informed. "Overall, everything is set to go."

"Good," was the blonde guy's response. He then turned to the other three members, Ayaka, Sino and Takashige, standing before him. "We'll begin our expedition now. Any questions before we move out?"

Sino raised her hand. "Should we leave someone in charge of our place here?"

Shaking his head, Takahito replied. "No, we're not leaving anyone behind. We'll do this as a group and see this mission through as a group," he stated. "After all, it's too dangerous to leave any members behind in this place; they'll be easy pickings for the other groups."

The next to raise a hand was Takashige. "So, who will take care of our stuff while we're away. Just assuming that we'll return again," he quickly added.

"I've already taken care of that," the leader responded. A few seconds later, the sound of two footsteps could be heard approaching the group. Some waiting and the footsteps turned out to belong to Touko and Aki.

"We've read your message. So, what do you want with us?" Spoke Touko as she stood facing the Melee Fight Crew.

"Just a little favour," said Takahito. "I'm sure you're aware of what we've been doing these past two days."

Aki shook her head. "Nope. We don't know if you guys were planning anything at all, and it's the truth."

"Well, in that case, we'll tell you," the blonde man paused a little before continuing. "We're going to Randall Corporation to see what's there with our own eyes and if we can take control of the place."

"What!? That's crazy! They have gu-" a hand blocked Aki's mouth before she can finish the sentence.

Adjusting her glasses, Touko asked professionally. "So, what is it that you want from us while you're there?"

"We want you to look after our section, but don't touch or disturb anything we placed there," Takahito told her. "I trust you on this matter."

"Well, of course, you would trust us since there no other people to take care of your stuff now," remarked Aki but again, a hand raised in front of her face.

"Fine then, we'll at least do you that favour," Touko replied. "Is that all?"

Takahito nodded. "Yes, that is all."

With that said, the members of the Melee Fight Crew began entering the small van. Takahito was in the driver's seat with Ayaka by his side and the other three at the back.

Turning on the engine, the vehicle roared to life and emitted a few puffs of smoke from the back. Bringing the window down, Takahito said some words to Touko and Aki.

"We'll see you again in a few days, whether we accomplish our mission or not," Ayaka looked disinterestedly from his side. "Well then, see you guys later."

As the van began moving slowly forwards, Aki waved at it. "Sino! Kougami! Take care of yourselves, okay!"

Glancing backwards while opening the gates, Sino briefly waved back at the duo before the vehicle entered the main road and she closed the iron entrance. Some moments later and the van was gone from the two girls' view.

"Welp, there they go," remarked Aki. "Never thought them to be the kind to move out first."

"Are you regretting leaving them?" Touko questioned.

"No way!" The ponytailed girl moved her hands to deny the accusation. "There's a reason why I leave them in the first place. Ayaka's too creepy for me."

The glasses woman nodded. "Good to hear then. Now, let's go back inside. I imagine the others must be eating their lunch at this moment."

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

Fast forward two days later and the members of the Melee Fight Crew have already arrived in front of the Randall Corporation building. Stepping out of the van, they cautiously viewed their surroundings.

"Kougami, you sure this is the place?" Takashige asked his other club member.

"Yes," the guy looked at the map again. "This is the precise place of the building, no mistaking it."

"I can see that," commented Takahito. "The name is written at the entrance after all," he pointed at the sign above the glass doors.

"There's no sign of anyone outside or above the surrounding buildings," Sino lowered the binoculars and reported to the group. "There's also no sign of the infected for 50 metres around us."

"Good, but be aware. They may just be waiting for us inside," saying that, everyone took out their respective weapons and readied themselves for the entry into the building.

Quietly stepping inside, they were surprised but grateful, to see no one greeting them in the reception floor. Looking around, they didn't find any human presence anywhere in the surrounding, although they did spot an elevator and several doors leading to other rooms. Slightly relieved, they lowered their weapons.

That is until they heard a 'ding' sound coming from the elevator. Quickly, they positioned themselves in a striking pose, ready for anything coming from beyond the doors.

As the indicator atop the elevator doors displayed the ground floor, the five held their weapons tightly, prepared for a fight.

What they didn't expect, however, was a young-looking man dressed in a lab coat to step out of the doors. Even more surprising was the striking resemblance between him and that one guy residing at their college.

"Ah, sorry if I'm a bit late for the greeting. I wasn't expecting any visitors today, you see," the man embarrassedly rubbed the back of his head. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kiriha Kenji," he bowed… before pulling out a handgun from his lab coat pocket, pointing at the group. "On what business could you be being here, may I ask?"

* * *

Law of Conservation of Detail

Every detail given is important.

'Excerpt is taken from TV Tropes'

Every single damn thing.

That is all.


	18. Chapter 18 : Fight, Another Talk

Chapter 18 - Fight, Another Talk

"On what business could you be being here, may I ask?"

The man, Kenji, asked the question to his guests while pointing the barrel of the gun straight at them. Not actually good hospitality behaviour, but hey, since when did he care about that?

Raising his spiked bat, Takahito stepped forward. "We want to take over this place… and take revenge for what you did to other peoples!" He made slight eye contact with Renya as he said that.

"My, where did you heard those rumours?" The black-haired man replied with a smile. "I did no such thing. This is a pharmaceutical company, not a weapons corporation. You shouldn't believe so easily what you heard or read."

"Don't mess with us!" Screamed the blonde guy. "We know what you did! We heard it from your son himself! And then there's this thing," Takashige held up the emergency manual booklet. "It's stated in here that the infection is the result of a chemical bioweapon, which fits perfectly with what this company would do research on! You can't lie to us!" He clenched his fist in anger.

"So that's how you know. Well, I should've expected that. You're university students after all," came Kenji's response. "I take it that Yuuta and his companions are in St. Isidore College then?"

"Yep, he got married you know," answered Takashige. "To a girl named Yuki-something. Shame you didn't attend it," the man glanced to see Takahito and Ayaka glaring at him while Renya shook his head disappointingly. "What? He asked."

Hearing those words, the researcher suddenly chuckled. "Hahaha! He's married now!? That was fast! Looks like my plan succeeded, though I never thought he would take such responsibility seriously. Truly, I expect no less from him," he said between laughs.

"That's not important!" Takahito raised his voice again to remind the man of the real topic of their meeting. "What we want to hear is what you have to say about all this!? What are your reasons, motives, for destroying people's lives all around!?"

"My motives, eh?" Kenji smirked, playfully putting a finger on his chin. "I've already said it to Yuuta, didn't he tell you?" The group's face remained the same. "I guess he forgot to. He's always like that, forgetting things, even important things, because of his laziness." He then narrowed his eyes, staring straight at the crew's leader. "If you want to know what my motives are… it is to acquire immortality."

"Immortality…" Takahito and Ayaka repeated the word, with Takashige and Sino tilting their head in confusion. Renya's reaction couldn't be seen because he's standing at the back.

"Yes, immortality. The desire of every human ever to live indefinitely and never die. The most famous example being King Gilgamesh's quest for the elixir of immortality in the text 'The Epic of Gilgamesh'. That is what I am trying to create here, using the genetics present in the undead virus to somehow replicate the effects of immortality; enhanced healing, very slow aging process, protection against other diseases, and a generally perfect body. The infection plague is just a side effect as a way of acquiring samples for my research since 'moral codes' doesn't allow me to test my theories with a human sample. Well, now I have an entire planet's worth of undead samples! Muahahaha!" The mad scientist threw his arms sideways and laughed maniacally.

"Unforgivable," growled Takahito, his heart full of rage. "You mean that all those peoples who are now infected, are all just test subjects to you!" Besides him, Takashige and Ayaka also expressed their disgust of him on their face.

Kenji stopped his evil laugh and smirked in a good way(well… as good as he can look at the moment) before replying. "If you want to treat it like that, then yes. They're all just test subjects and human samples to me. Even my…" he looked sideways for a second. "Family. However, it seems that I've made a bad mistake in my part by killing all of my colleagues in this company. As a result, I don't have any 'living' human subject to gain an accurate result of from the prototype serums I've created. Do any of you peoples want to volunteer? How about you, young lady?" The researcher pointed his gun at Sino. "Would you like to be one? Don't worry, if everything goes well you'll at least live a very long life with what remained of humanity. But, if things go in the opposite direction… well, you'll be dead instantly or have a fate worse than death. So, do you want to help me?"

Hearing the offer, Sino retreated cautiously though a small part of her heart was intrigued by the reward. She soon shook her head and readied herself for combat.

"Like hell I'll let you do as you please on any of us!" Said Takahito. "Kougami. Now!"

Instantly, the blonde man and Ayaka stepped aside, revealing Renya with his crossbow aimed at Kenji. "Stay still!"

Firing the arrow, the blue eyes man was quite shocked but recovered quickly to dodge from the arrow's path. He was not quick enough, however, and the projectile made contact with his right hand, its intended target, sending the gun far away from the researcher.

As Kenji was shaking his hand from the shot, Takahito closes in quickly towards the man with the intention of knocking him out. Arriving in front of him, he swung his bat towards the man's head.

Only for it to be caught by Kenji's other hand.

"Heh. You want to fight a member of the Kiriha family in close-combat?" The man thrusts his other hand, palm-first, onto Takahito's abdomen, knocking the winds out of him and causing him to stagger several steps back. "Your defeat has been spelt out the moment you made that choice. You're practically screwed now!" He then positioned himself in a fighting stance, one hand straight forward while the other bent at the side. "Come!"

Not discouraged by the taunt, the blonde man begins his counterattack, this time along with Takashige and Sino flanking his side while Ayaka stood at the back as back up and Renya providing support.

Closing in again, Takahito swung his spiked bat at Kenji's side. However, the man was more prepared this time. Very gently, he stopped the bat with one hand… before kneeing his attacker in the stomach, lifting him up in the air for a few seconds. As the blonde guy fell back to the floor, the researcher-slash-fighter grabbed the now acquired bat.

Next, came the simultaneous offense of Takashige and Sino. The athletic man swung his crowbar near his head while Sino dual-wields two picks and thrusts them towards the researcher's neck and throat. Never faltering, Kenji held the baseball bat and shoved it onto Takashige's face, derailing his crowbar from its target. This provides him room to dodge sideways from Sino's attack, responding with a neck grab at the woman's throat. Slowly, he raised her upwards while her picks fell onto the floor.

"Stop that!" Renya shouted as he fired another arrow towards Kenji to make him release Sino. To his shock and horror, the arrow was swiped away by the man without so much as a glance.

"The first shot is always the most important," the older man calmly said. "Once you've fired your arrow at me, I've already gained the knowledge and skill necessary to block it. That's why you should always aim for the kill when you do your first shot."

Seeing his club member struggling helplessly in the hands of the bastard man, Renya fired three more shots, all of which were effortlessly blocked aside. Meanwhile, Takahito and Takashige still lay unconscious on the floor due to the hit they received.

Suddenly, a knife, a kitchen knife, soared through the air and whizzed past Kenji, who barely evaded it, releasing Sino in the process. The thrower was none other than Ayaka, her eyes sharp and holding another more normal-looking knife in her other hand.

Retreating, Kenji breathed in calmly, releasing it along with a sigh. "A knife is really dangerous. I wouldn't want to let that hit me." In front of him, the two knocked out guys began to slowly regain their consciousness. Shaking their heads, they picked up their weapons and readied themselves for round two of the fight. Sino, still coughing and clutching her neck, stood up and held her picks, staring defiantly at the researcher with Ayaka emotionlessly holding one knife, gaze set upon the man. Renya still stood at the back of the group.

"So, we're continuing then? I hope you don't regret this decision," Kenji took up the same stance as before and prepared himself for the attack.

"Aaaahhhh!" The forward lines of the Melee Fight Crew screamed and charged towards the solo enemy. Every time they attack, however, it was always blocked or dodged by Kenji counterattacks every chance he gets. Renya's shot wasn't helping and the constant movement does not allow Ayaka to throw accurately at the man so he just resigned to attacking him head on like the rest.

After 10 minutes of fighting, the Melee Fight Crew was exhausted while their opponent does not seem to be breaking a sweat from their attacks. Despair began to sink into their hearts while they lay on the floor, feeling defeated for the first time. Smirking, Kenji approached them.

"Damn it! Die already!" Standing up, Takashige stood up again with resolve and resumed attacking the researcher-and-fighter combo. "Come on! Get up! What are you all waiting for!?" He encouraged the other members.

"While your determination is commendable, I'm afraid this has to end right now," spoke Kiriha Kenji in a cold voice unlike the previous times he opened his mouth. "As a reward, I'll show you the advanced potential of the bladeless sword style," taking one step, he surged forward, surprising Takashige before landing a blow on his stomach. "Seven Division Eight Rows: Remastered!"

The punch knocked out every air present inside the athletic guy's stomach, causing him to bleed in the inside. Blood sprayed out from his mouth while his crowbar fell to the ground. However, that was only the start.

Followed in quick succession after that is a left jab on the chest, a double palm strike towards the abdomen, an ankle drop kick hitting the back of the neck, a knee strike impacting with the torso, a double hit towards the shoulder blades, and finally, a right jab on the chest… which penetrates the flesh and heart, causing blood to come out from his back. All this happened in just 10 seconds.

"Ugaahh!" Shouted Takashige as he collapsed backwards to the floor, his fingers twitching a little. "I-I-I… Impossible…" the man muttered before his head fell sideways… his soul having left his body.

Staring from behind, the other members of the Melee Fight Crew couldn't believe what they just saw. Takahito's jaw dropped open with unbelievability, Ayaka had a terrified expression on her normally emotionless face, Sino covered her mouth with her hands while her eyes were wide open and Renya dropped his crossbow in shock, eyes the same as Sino.

"It's been a long time since I performed that move," Kenji spoke again, his hand covered in Takashige's blood. Slowly, he glanced at his guests. "Glad that I'm still as strong as ever. But still, he's dead now huh? Well, I do intend him to be an example of what happened to you people if you continue to defy me, so I guess it's okay… as long as I get another live human," with those words uttered, he approached the four.

Unsurprisingly, Takahito was the one to snap out of his shock first. Instantly, he stood up on his feet and picked his bat. "Kougami! Sino! Get to the car! Now!"

Hearing those orders, the two members quickly scrambled to their feet and ran towards the entrance. Following them, Takahito glanced back to see Ayaka still at her place, unmoving while the researcher was nearing with every step. Turning back, he grabbed the woman's arm and pulled her up. Struggling, he led her towards the entrance with one hand.

"Remember," the blond man heard Kenji's voice from behind, but didn't dare to look. "The world didn't choose you. I did," his words echoed in the hall.

Putting those words in the back of his head, Takahito sped past the glass doors and to the outside world. Not missing a beat, he dragged Ayaka towards the vehicle they used to come here where Renya and Sino were waiting.

Arriving at the automobile, Takahito pushed Ayaka into the side passenger's seat while he slammed himself into the driver's place. Quickly, he starred the engine and stepped on the gas, driving the car away from the building. He did not even look back as he let instincts control his body while his comrades all were still shocked by the event before. Granted, they have seen the undeads killing other peoples and they themselves have their own share of seeing high amounts of blood and severed flesh, but it's one thing to see a person, their friend at that, to be pierced in the chest by a normal looking man using his bare hand. Their mind just couldn't believe what they just saw.

Meanwhile, back at Randall Corporation, Kiriha Kenji watched the Melee Fight Crew driving away from the building's entrance. The sun was not setting and there certainly wasn't any birds shrieking in the vicinity. The man smiled at the scene.

"Ah~ They're gone now. And I was hoping to get a new subject to study. Well, I just have to make do with what I get it seems," said Kenji as he turned back and reentered the building. Unhurriedly, he approached the recent corpse of Shiromoto Takashige and prodded it with his shoe. Not receiving any response, he crouched down and placed his hand on the body.

"Hmm… this looks pretty good. At least there's still some undamaged flesh from the attack," the researcher commented on the corpse's condition. "Some internal bleeding, broken bones, damaged organs, and pierced heart; it could be worse."

Standing up, Kenji looked around him. "Well, I'm sure there's a spare trolley somewhere around here. Got to transport this body fast before it rots," he walked away from the body and through a door… returning with a trolley in hand.

"Hup! There you go," placing the dead man's body on the trolley, Kenji started pushing towards the elevator. "Now, back to work! For immortality! For science!"

Just then, he felt a slight presence behind him and glanced back, a wistful smile on his face. "Of course, for you too. Just wait a little bit, and I'll let you do as you want… and inform him about the truth."

* * *

"So you want to start a vegetable garden?"

That question was asked by Yuuri towards Touko when the latter spoke of her intention of starting a vegetable garden on the premise.

"Yeah," the glasses woman rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Food and resources had been decreasing faster than we thought because of the increase in peoples… Ah! We didn't blame you all though!" She quickly waved her hands in front. "It's just that, we should prepare ourselves if ever the resources ran out one day, and it's better to start now when we still had much of them," Touko explained her reasons.

Currently, the two club presidents were sitting inside the former's room, the other inhabitant having gone out to play with her brother accompanied by Kurumi. Miki was preparing lunch with Maki while Aki and Hika were inside their respective rooms. As for Yuuta and Yuki, the two were inside the library as Yuuta had said something about researching on how to be a 'better husband', whatever that means. This left Yuuri with much time to catch on to her studies before Touko entered.

"Then, you made the right choice by coming to me!" Yuuri cheerfully clapped her hands together. "I can tell you all you need to know about starting the garden, though you can refer to books for details. I can even them for you if you don't have the time. I'm a member of the gardening club after all."

"Good! I know it's a good choice talking to you!" Touko raised a thumb's up at Yuuri. "I'm thinking about doing it at the rooftop, since there's a small patch of land up there for some reason, and the side of the field, so there'll be at least two places where we can grow our food. What d'you think?"

Yuuri smiled gently. "That's a good idea. We can get our supplies even when we can't go outside. I say we do it right now. Let's start organising things and peoples first. That way we can keep tabs on the garden's progress and things that we need. Also, to make sure it's taken care of everyday. There's also other stuffs like…" and she trailed off, listing things to do to Touko, who listened amusingly.

Noticing her stare, Yuuri stopped her rambling. "Ah, sorry. Did I get carried away somehow?"

"Hahaha. That's not it. Don't worry, I'm actually just amused in seeing you talk like that," she answered. "I have observed that you've been much happier these days compared to before, even though I've never known you until a few weeks ago. It's like you found something that you really want and not willing to let go of it. That how it looks like."

Embarrassed, Yuuri seemed to revert back to a child. "Is that so? I'm not exactly sure myself what the reason is-"

"It's a guy, right?" The brown haired girl blinked confusedly at the question. "More precisely, it's Shuuya, am I right?"

"T-Touko-san, w-what are you saying?" Asked Yuuri with a blush on her face. "T-There's nothing between me and Shuuya-kun. We're just friends, acquaintances. Nothing more."

Grinning, the glasses woman teased the girl more. "Really~ But to me, you two seem close enough to be more than friends. I noticed that whenever you two aren't side by side both of you would stare at the other from a distance. In fact, was already planning on what type of wedding you two would want," Touko explained.

Hearing the words that came out of the other girl's mouth, Yuuri's face turned into an even redder colour and her eyes opened with anxiety and embarrassment. "D-Did anyone else knows about this?" She questioned slowly.

"Well, I'm not too sure about the others but the signs are pretty obvious that only the densest of peoples would not see it," replied Touko. "Of course, whether Shuuya is is part of the 'nice but dense guy character' is debatable, at least I think so. What do you think; does he somehow notice your feelings for him?"

At this, Yuuri sighed. "I don't know, Touko-san. I'm scared actually; both on whether or not he will accept my feelings and if it's appropriate to start a relationship with someone in the world we live in," glancing sideways, she looked at the frame containing the picture taken at Yuuta and Yuki's wedding; the one where they all, sans Ayaka, were all together. "Yuuta-kun and Yuki-chan faced a lot of challenges before they got together, and even after that, things were not all good, and I doubt that the future will be gentle to them as well. Yuki-chan is stronger than she looks, which is how she managed to face everything that the world showed him, while Yuuta-kun is strong and good in many things, one of the ways he was able to survive and live to this day, despite the trials that befell him. Me? I'm not sure if I can measure up to them both, even if I'm the club president," the girl sighed again. "I'm just not that strong."

"Don't worry about it!" Touko tried to encourage her fellow club president. "I'm very sure that he likes you back. There's no reason for him to reject you after all. You're beautiful, intelligent, hardworking, caring, gentle and loving. What's not to like about you?" She pushed her arms towards her.

"Thanks for the encouragement, Touko-san," Yuuri bowed her head a little. "I'll be sure to take your words into consideration. It was quite nice talking to you."

"Hahaha, don't mention it," remarked Touko with a laugh. "Just doing my job as your senpai." Smiling, she stood up from her seat and went towards the windows. "Hmm… they should return by now."

The brown haired girl tilted her head confusedly at the statement. "Who?"

"The Melee Fight Crew," answered the woman. "They went to Randall Corporation a few days ago to scout things and possibly take over the place, but I'm not too convinced they will succeed," she turned to face Yuuri. "If the man waiting for them is really Yuuta's dad, then he must be quite dangerous and powerful."

"What do you mean by that?" Asked Yuuri. "I understand that he's dangerous because of his access to firearms but the powerful bit I don't quite comprehend."

Sitting back down, Touko explained. "It's like a game. The big boss sometimes has a child who is as powerful as him if not more so, with the only difference being their experience. When fighting the child it's often very difficult to subdue them due to their unrefined power, but it also made them easier to defeat for the more experienced players. Not so with the big boss himself who have the same level of power as his child but know how to make the most of his powers. That's why he is the big boss after all, though there might be a bonus boss that is his most powerful offspring," the glasses woman finished. "That's how I imagine Yuuta and his dad are like."

Yuuri was visibly more perplexed at the explanation. "Wait, Yuuta-kun is not a character in a game, as so Kenji-san, and most importantly, they're not some powerful human being; they're normal peoples."

"It's just an anecdote, no need to get so mad," giggled Touko. "What I was trying to say is that his father must be a particularly strong man for Yuuta to turn out like how he is right now. After all, you must be either very smart, cunning, strong or outright mad to kill many people in your company," added the woman. "And though you may not see it, Yuuta seems very unstable himself under all that generic cover. Maybe it's fortunate for us that he have Yuki to anchor him down."

"Well, that is certainly true…" uttered Yuuri. "Maybe it is fortunate for us…"

A minute of silence reigned as the two girls were absorbed with their own thoughts. Eventually, Touko broke the still air. "All right then, I suppose I have to go now. I made Kurumi promise to swing around and play a game or two with me at the clubroom after lunch, so I can't be late or she'll start without me," walking towards the door, the woman raised a hand. "See you later, Ri-san."

"See you later," Yuuri waved back. After the other woman had disappeared, the girl rose from her seat… to reveal a magazine atop the cushion.

Breathing in relief, she picked the book up and smoothed the pages from any crumples that she had made. "Huh, Touko-san surprised me for a moment there when she entered. It's a good thing she didn't notice this thing," placing the magazine inside Ryuuko's closet along with others of the same content, she remarked. "That Ryuuko, why did she have to scatter these on the floor. She should be grateful that no one enters this room so much. There will be much problem if someone founds out she have these… err… uninnocent books in her storage. I wonder… how is the inside of Shuuya-kun's room looks like?" Briefly, the girl imagined the room next door but shook her head when she realised what she's doing. "No no, I still can't believe that Shuuya-kun is like that, no matter what Ryuuko told me," said she until she heard a knock on her door.

"Ri-san?"

"H-Hai!" Yuuri was startled at the sound and raised her voice a little. "I-I mean, ehem, yes, what is it?" She replied again with her normal composure.

"It's time for lunch," the voice belonged to Miki. "I thought I'd go inform you about it," the brown haired girl relaxed at the response. "Sorry, am I interrupting something?"

Yuuri shook her head even though the person on the other side couldn't see it. "No no, you're not. I'll join you in a bit, okay, Miki-san?"

"Understood," said Miki before the sound of footsteps were heard going away from the room.

"Well then, I better get going now," exclaimed Yuuri as she brushed a strand of her hair at the side. Fixing her long strands a little, she closed the window to her room, staring briefly at Ryuuko batting a ball with Yuki and Shuuya. She smiled at the scene and wished in her heart.

'I hope these days will never end.'


	19. Chapter 19: The Darkness Inside

Chapter 19 - The Darkness Inside

'How did it become like this?'

Thought Yuki to herself as she viewed her surroundings, holding her bandaged left cheek. Around her was what could be described as a corrupted wasteland; the undeads were swarming the college compounds, dust and debris floated above the ground, the skies have turned dark, and lastly, Yuuta was standing at the center of the field, surrounded by the undeads and laughing maniacally while his body and sword was emanating a highly dark and tainted aura. Before him were the two members of the Melee Fight Crew, their body having been turned into one of the undeads.

Still standing at the edge of the field, Yuki looked upon her partner and muttered sadly. "Yuu-kun…"

It all started earlier that day when they found out that the Melee Fight Crew had returned from their trip to Randall Corporation i.e Miki noticing a car entering the university. Touko and Aki went out to greet them, but it didn't turn out good.

* * *

As the vehicle parked near the MFC's section of the building, Touko approached it and raised her arm in greeting. "Yo. You guys finally come back, huh? Did you confirm anything in your trip there?"

Exiting the car was four people; Takahito, Renya, Ayaka and Sino. The blonde man ignored her and walked away, leaving his group.

"Hey, we're asking you a question! It's rude to not answer it," shouted Aki at the guy who didn't even acknowledge her. Then, she noticed someone missing. "Hey, where's the other guy? You know, Shiromoto?"

Sino averted her eye and so does Renya at the question. Only Ayaka stood unmoved. "He's dead." She said bluntly.

The orange haired girl was a little shocked hearing the news. "What!? That tough guy is dead? How did that happen? Did you guys got ambushed or something?"

"No, that's not it," Renya spoke up. "We met this guy that Yuuta spoke of, Kiriha Kenji, his father, and he… killed him… with his bare hands… after fighting us to a standstill."

Aki was even more surprised at hearing the answer, but her friend nodded knowingly. "So I am correct, he is dangerous after all, like Yuuta," remarked Touko. "And you all didn't manage to secure the place, I take it?"

"He's… too strong…" stated Sino. "We can't even hurt him… and he was just playing with us…" the woman trembled slightly at the memory of their fight.

"Tch!" Ayaka clicked her tongue at the remembrance of their confrontation and his last words to them. 'He did not choose me… I was chosen because I am the strongest and greatest. He is not the one who chose me, he is not the one who decided what I have to do. No, no, no! I will do what I want! No one can stop me from it!' As a deranged smile appeared on her face, the raven haired woman opened the car door again, retrieving Renya's crossbow. Slowly, she began walking towards the same direction Takahito had gone to.

"H-Hey!" The glasses boy exclaimed at the woman carrying his weapon. "Where are you going? And that's mine, you know. You can't-" however, he was silenced when Ayaka aimed the crossbow at him. "W-W-Wait! I'm just asking! What are you going to do!?"

The woman did not respond to the question and simply turned away from them, resuming her walk. The others four just stared at her in silence.

Once she was out of sight, Aki opened her mouth. "Hey, Sino, do you want to stay with us for a while? You too, Kougami."

"Can we?" Inquired the woman.

"Of course, you two are welcome to stay at our place, right, Rep?" Aki turned to Touko.

The glasses girl nodded. "Yes, I imagine that things are quite complicated on your end, and it is not wrong to help each other at a time like this," Adjusting her glasses, she added. "I'm sure the others don't have as much issue with you two as they are with the rest ."

"I guess we can take your offer on that," replied Renya while rubbing his head. "Isn't that right, Sino?"

"Yes," the other member agreed. "I have to protect you, after all."

The man frowned slightly at the statement, but before he could retort saying he didn't need any protecting, a loud roar was heard from the distance.

"What was that!?" Aki shrieked in shock.

"It sounded like… Yuuta? No, it couldn't be," remarked Touko. "Still, it came from the direction of the sports field. Let's go there to see what happened." She proposed. The other three nodded and followed her.

* * *

While Touko and Aki were heading outside to greet the Melee Fight Crew back, the members of the Campus-Life Club and Hika meanwhile were lounging about in the dining room, having just finished their lunch. Kurumi was, as always, munching on a piece of cracker while trying to balance her shovel with one finger, Miki inspecting her sword for any blemishes, Yuuri was washing the dishes with Ryuuko, Maki conversing with Hika about something or the other, Shuuya gazing at Yuuri(and Yuuta occasionally), Yuuta writing something on a notebook and finally, Yuki was sleeping with her head on the table. All in all, things were pretty quiet and calm(not counting Maki's loud voice) if not a bit lethargic(mostly on Yuki's part) but it was a nice and peaceful afternoon, so no one wants to suggest they do anything, at least for now.

Unfortunately, their peaceful day would end right now.

"KIRIHA YUUTA! COME AND FACE ME!"

The voice was loud enough that Yuuri let slip a bowl, Kurumi's shovel to fall from her finger, Maki shrieking in surprise, Shuuya to reflexively stand up, Yuuta's writing derailing from the paper, but not enough to wake up Yuki from her slumber, all simultaneously.

The first one to act normally towards the loud sound was unexpectedly Ryuuko as she went to the windowsill and peered outside. "Hey everyone, there's someone outside. I think it's, err… Takahito-san, I think? Yes, I think that's his name. He's calling for you, Yuuta-san, and he looks angry for some reason." She informed the others.

"What does he want with me?" Yuuta, having recovered from the shock, rubbed his hair annoyingly. "Touko-san said he and those others went to meet my dad… did that man say something to them? Argh, can't he shout quieter?" The boy rose from his chair very reluctantly and grabbed his sword before walking towards the door. "Whatever, I'll go and see what he wants."

"Senpai, wait!" Miki stopped him in his tracks. "It's dangerous to go alone, at least take me or Shuuya-senpai with you." Kurumi raised her eyebrow to ask why she was not mentioned.

"That's right, Kiriha," the older redhead put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "You shouldn't be by yourself; I'll come with you."

As a response, Yuuta smirked at them. "Heh, he's alone right now, and I don't think he's stupid enough to fight me by himself if he wants to fight that is. Don't worry, he probably just want to have a talk about my father," he flashed a reassuring smile at Shuuya. "But you can tag behind if you want, just not too close in case something happen."

"All right then! I'm following Yuu-kun first!" Exclaimed Yuki who suddenly appears next to Yuuta, fully awake. "Now, let's go!"

Being pulled by his wife, Yuuta was surprised and only managed to utter a single question at her before they exited the room. "Wait, Yuki, when did you wake up?"

"For a while now, Yuu-kun," answered the girl cheekily.

Arriving at the ground floor, Yuuta halted his steps suddenly which brought Yuki to a halt too. "Hmm, why are you stopping, Yuu-kun?"

"Listen to me, Yuki," spoke the boy in a low tone. "Could you please just stay here and wait for the others to join you before following me outside?" He asked. "I don't want you to risk you getting hurt if something, and I know there's going to be something, happen outside. Can you please do that? Please?"

Seeing her husband suddenly pleading like that, Yuki was perplexed and a bit worried but complied nonetheless. "Well, if that's what you want me to do, I guess I have to do it," she replied. "But stay safe, okay?"

"You got that." Yuuta smiled as he walked through the entrance to the outside.

As expected, Takahito was waiting for him at the field. His face was frowning very badly and he seemed agitated at when Yuuta stood before him.

"Well, I'm here now," stated Yuuta. "What do you want from me?" The boy looked around and saw no other people aside from them.

"You're hiding something, aren't you?" Questioned the blonde guy coldly which surprised Yuuta a bit. "Specifically, you're not a normal human."

Regaining his composure, Yuuta stared sharply at the man. "What do you mean by that? I am a normal human, to say otherwise is an insult to me and my family, even 'that person' is my family."

"Don't mess with me!" Takahito suddenly shouted. "There's no way you all are normal! A normal human shouldn't have the power to cure themselves and others who are infected by 'them', a normal human couldn't kill another person with their bare hands, a normal human would not be able to beat us like you and him," breathing hard, the guy added. "You're not a normal human; you're a monster."

The rambling and accusation of Takahito irked Yuuta, and a feeling of rage welled up in his heart. "Take that back. Take that back what you said about me!" He exclaimed. "I don't know what you base your assumptions on, but I am never a monster, unlike him. Do not compare me with him! I am better than that person!"

"Then let me have a look at your sword," inquired the man. "If you really are a truly normal human, then that sword would surely be ordinary too."

Tightening his grip on Tamashiha, Yuuta could hear the voices of the other members behind him.

"Don't give it to him, Yuuta!"

"Yuuta-kun, are you alright?"

"Stay where you are, Yuuta-senpai. Don't move."

"Kiriha, I've got your back!"

'Those guys, I told them I can handle this myself,' the black-haired boy laughed inwardly. Turning around, he wanted to reply back that he's still fine, but before he managed to, there was the sound of footsteps and when he faced forward again, there was Takahito swinging his bat at him.

"Uufff!" The spiked bat doesn't hit him, but Takahito's fist did. As the impact hit his right shoulder, the sword involuntarily fell from his hand. Staggering a few steps back, Yuuta rubbed the shoulder to ease the pain.

"So, this is it?" Said Takahito as he picked Tamashiha up. "The sword that cured me of that infection. How does it work?" Roughly, he shook the weapon. "How does it shine like before!? Why does it do that!? Answer me!"

Confused, perplexed, and angry, Yuuta just stared at the blonde man. Kurumi, Yuuri, Miki, Shuuya and Yuki had arrived behind him, a little distance away.

"Takahito," the man felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to face Ayaka emotionless face. "You're not infected. You never were. Stop disillusioning."

"I… but I…" regaining his senses, Takahito dropped the sword down and stood straight. "Yes, you are right. We are the chosen one to lead this world. That bastard didn't have the power to do anything, nor does this son of his," frowning again, he stared angrily at the peoples in front of him. "We may not be able to kill that bastard, but at the least, we can avenge Takashige by killing his son."

"That's right," Ayaka smirked evilly before aiming the crossbow she brought at Yuuta. "And without him, the rest will be easy for us to subdue." And then he fired the arrow straight at Yuuta's heart.

As the arrow travelled, Yuuta could only gaze at it, not having the time, skill, weapon and rage to deflect or dodge it this time compared to when he faced Kenji. Slowly, he closed his eyes and prepares himself to take the shot.

"Yuu-kun!"

However, right when the arrow was just inches from him, he felt his body being pushed sideways, away from the arrow's trajectory. Falling to the ground, another body also joined him.

Opening his eyes, he discovered that the one who pushed him away was his wife, Yuki. Even though the projectile didn't hit her body, there was a long cut on her left cheek which was now bleeding, indicating the arrow scratched there when she pushed him.

"Y-Y-Yuki, are you okay?" Hearing no reply, Yuuta asked again. "Hey, Yuki! Wake up! Open your eyes!" Still closing her eyes, the boy shook her body. "YUKI!"

"Yuuta, she's just unconscious from the fall, and probably the pain," Kurumi said rationally with him. "She's alright, you don't have to worry about her. You're overreacting, you know?" Yuuri and Miki nodded and placed a hand on Yuuta's shoulder.

Suddenly, the blue eyes boy stood up. "Ri-san, please take Yuki away from here and treat her wound. After that, please take the others away from here as far as possible in the RV."

"Wait, sempai. What are you going to do?" questioned Miki at Yuuta's request.

"Just do it, Miki. Don't ask anymore," came the reply, cold as ice. Yuuta's gaze was still fixed upon the two peoples in front of him.

"Kiriha, wait," Shuuya grabbed the boy's arm. "At least allow us to stay here with you. You can't fight them alone, not without a-"

"SILENCE!" Yuuta suddenly shouted, turning back and staring straight towards the redhead's eyes. "This is an order, obey me, or else…," as sudden as he shouted, a sinister smile appeared on his face. "The weak should die after all."

Instantly, Shuuya released Yuuta's arm and retreated several steps back. "No, no, no! I… I am not weak! You… Yuuta… Kiriha… stop it!" Looking at his friend's eyes, a dark shade tainting it, the redhead loose it and ran away from the scene. "NNOOOOO!"

"Shuuya-kun!" Called Yuuri at him, but the guy was already far away from them. Looking back at the raven haired boy and Yuki in her hands, she made a decision. "Miki-san, Kurumi, let's go."

"Are you sure, Ri-san?" Miki questioned. "Shouldn't we stick together-" suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Just do it, Miki," said Kurumi. "I don't understand all this myself, but if Yuuta spoke like that, then we have to follow it. Plus, Yuki's and the other's well-being are our priority."

The white haired underclassman nodded at that. "Then, I'll take Yuki-chan to the RV. Kurumi, you and Miki inform the others and gather everyone at the vehicle, understand?"

"Hai!" The two girls saluted at the club president's order and ran inside the building. Supporting Yuki with one shoulder, Yuuri cast one last look at Yuuta. "Yuuta-kun, stay safe, okay?"

"It's not mine you should be worried about," the boy's reply was cold and emotionless. Slightly terrified, the brown haired girl walked away from the scene with her friend.

"Are you done talking? We've waited long enough," came Takahito's voice. "You monster." He said with disgust and hatred.

Yuuta stared at the blonde guy, eyes seemingly devoid of life. "You don't have the right to call me that since you will become one yourself."

"Enough with the talk. We're not here for discussion, we're her for retribution, and revenge," Ayaka reminded the two of their reason to be here. "You'll meet your end here, and your resources will become ours… including them."

"HAHAHAHAHA!" The sound of Yuuta laughing. "I like to see you try," he then took on a steady stance, recognised by the two elder people as the one his father also took. "That is if you're not torn to pieces by that time."

The three gazed into the eyes of their opponent, waiting for someone to strike first. As the dust swirled around in between them, a cloud comes by and covered the Sun's ray, darkening the area.

"HHHAAAAAAHHHH!" In a flash, Yuuta had crossed the distance between him and the two Melee Fight Crew members. Holding out his right fist, he aimed it at Takahito's middle section.

However, the guy had already expected such a move and placed his bat as a counter to the attack. The spikes pierced the boy's skin slightly, but his mind didn't register the pain. Instead, he readied his other fist.

But, that retaliation had also been predicted by them, and Ayaka brought one of her knives down on Yuuta's left arm. Fortunately, he was quick enough to retract the arm and move to the side. This retreat was followed by arrows from the crossbow.

Not the least discouraged, and probably not too sane to care, the blue eyes boy closed in again and tried kicking Ayaka on the head. The other member responded with grabbing his feet and pulling it to punch Yuuta in the face. He succeeded, only to receive one in his face as well.

As the two boys begin punching the other to oblivion, Ayaka neared them and dropped down her knife dangerously close to the younger male's head. The boy noticed it and dodged it sideways. This provided him with a chance to attack the raven haired woman, which he did by kicking her in the stomach. She fell to the ground backwards, but not before the knife grazed Yuuta's leg and she fired another arrow at his shoulder.

Kiriha Yuuta, now bleeding from the leg and on the left shoulder, still continued his showdown of fists with Takahito. Several times the two traded punches and the occasional kicks, but none were willing to back down. Even after two minutes of beating one another and bruises started to appear, they still kept going; one for revenge of a friend and survival, the other for retribution of a lover and love.

Finally, Takahito managed to land a blow on Yuuta hard enough to push him away, putting a distance between them. The man went to his team member's side, intending to came up with a better strategy to subdue the boy.

Unfortunately for them, Yuuta landed right next to where his sword was. His body, now emanating an aura of darkness from the condition of his mind and the fight, extended his hand and grabbed the sword. The moment he did so, the sword began to emit the same dark aura as his being, a corrupted sensation that seemed to affect life from the surrounding area. Unsheathing the sword revealed that even its blade had turned dark, pitch black as the darkest night.

Taking on the sight, Takahito and Ayaka was slightly surprised and a little terrified at the sudden development of the raven haired boy. For Takahito, he did not expect this, not knowing that the sword can turn dark as well. For Ayaka, a deranged smile appears on her face as she taught of the challenge this new event would bring to her, her reason already gone at the sight before her.

Raising the sword high above him, Yuuta let out a loud and evil-sounding laugh as the dark aura was still emanating from the blade. "HAHAHAHAHA!" He really seemed to like laughing for some reason, probably because of his current mental state. "You will be the one to meet your end here. All you corrupted and tortured souls, heed my command! Come! To! ME!"

As soon as he said those words, the wind died down and everything was still in the air, not a sound be heard. It only lasted but a moment, for, after that, a terrifying sound could be heard from all around the campus courtyard. Shrieking, screaming, moaning and groaning, it was the sound of the undeads.

Smiling too widely to be considered human, Yuuta slashed the air, where a line of darkness moved quickly and hit the gates keeping the undeads away from the college grounds. The gate immediately shatters, as so the sand bag keeping it closed. Now with an opening in the barrier, the undeads swarmed quickly into the university to the place where Yuuta is.

Takahito and Ayaka, realising the predicament they're in and not wishing to perish at the place, lifted their feets and ran away from the area.

"Where do you think you're going?"

The two only managed to hear the voice before they felt something hit and entered their body. Whatever it was, they immediately fell down on their knees and started coughing badly while sweat dripped down from their skin in buckets. Turning back, Takahito saw Yuuta walking slowly towards them, sword in hand.

"Did you really think, I'm going to let you two go away that easily?" Spoke the boy in an unnaturally deep tone as if many voices were coming from his mouth. "No, you will be vanquished right here, right now. Oh, don't worry. Your torture will be slow, painful and excruciating. I shall make you rue the day you were born to this world, and that I shall do," In the distance, a large number of undeads were marching slowly but steadily towards the three… err two humans and one unspecified being. "Starting with you."

As the undeads arrived at the scene, two of them grabbed Ayaka's body, holding her down, while two others picked Takahito up. The two humans were then brought down to kneel in front of Yuuta.

"I can hear them," spoke the blue eyes boy cryptically. "I can hear their voice, muddled under their screams, are the remnants of their cry for help… and revenge for those who abandoned them to their cruel fate," bringing his sword close to the neck of Takahito, a wicked smile once again manifested on his face. "And those peoples, are you two, who thought themselves to be superior to everybody else and more deserving to survive. Even though I don't hate it when humans think of themselves as greater than others, I absolutely loathe it when they made others suffer for their own advantages. Detest them I do, for they are nothing but a slave to their own desires, making them even worse than most beasts."

"What… are you going to do?" Asked Takahito in-between breaths. "You… can't kill us. I… beg of you…"

Yuuta's left palm met his face as he laughed at the incredulity of the statement. "HAHAHAHA! You're begging me to spare you from death, even after all you've done up to this point!? You make me laugh! Look at your partner; she didn't flinch when I threaten you both with death! That cool and emotionless demeanour," the boy placed one hand under the woman's chin and forced her to look up. "I just love to see what will happen once it breaks; nothing is better than breaking a tough person and watching their defences crumble to reveal their broken self," still feverish, Ayaka managed to glare at him with disgust and contempt which would cause any normal human to back off several metres away.

"But, since you actually begged to me, I won't kill you both," Takahito lifted his head to face Yuuta with a faint glimmer of hope. "However, that doesn't mean I would let you two to be alive either. A fate worse than death is much more suited for characters such as yours."

After saying those words, the raven haired boy raised one hand into the air and dropped it down. At the same moment, an undead bites onto Takahito's flesh.

"AARRGHH!" Screamed the blonde guy as the teeth pierced his skin and he started bleeding. However, the worse was when he felt the undead virus entering his blood and affecting him.

"AAAAHHH!" Beside him, Ayaka also screamed as an undead bit into her shoulder. Her agonising shriek was only met with an evil giggle from Yuuta.

"It's not over yet!" Said the definitely mad boy. True to his word, another undead sunk its teeth into Takahito and Ayaka's skin. More undeads then swarmed the two, biting into whatever section of their body that haven't been scarred yet. Although, the bites were only enough to deep enough to leave a mark and not forceful enough to tear their flesh off.

"How does it feel to bear the pain and suffering of those that you've disposed of?" Questioned Yuuta jeeringly. "Ironic, isn't it? Meeting your demise in the same way that you used on others, only right now… it's much worse. He he, I guess I'm a monster after all."

As the sufferings of Takahito and Ayaka continued, the boy laughed maniacally, the sword, Tamashiha, emanating a tainted and corrupted aura which attracted any nearby undeads to him, adding to the swarm around them. "HAHAHAHAHA!"

* * *

Meanwhile, Kurumi and Miki were speeding towards the dining room to inform the three peoples there of the current situation. When they arrived there, they found four, as Rise had apparently joined them for some snack. Nevertheless, the two girls quickly explained what had happened and half-drag, half-lead the peoples through the halls. Outside, they found four other peoples; Touko, Aki, Renya and Sino. Quickly explaining the situation to them too, all ten of them rushed to the RV parked at the college compounds. Inside, Yuuri was just finishing bandaging up the cut on Yuki's cheek. Shuuya, too, had conveniently ended up in the vehicle as a hiding place, his face expressing clear terror at something none of them understood.

Yuuri, now completing her task of treating the pink haired girl's wound, invited the others inside where they sat restlessly, not knowing what was actually happening outside.

Suddenly, they heard the sound of groaning from outside the RV. Peeking through the window, Miki saw that a large horde of undeads had appeared inside the campus grounds. Quickly, Aki locked the door from the inside as the peoples inside prayed that the undeads wouldn't approach them. Well, all except Yuki who was still unconscious and Shuuya who's still trembling and holding his head like a child.

Deciding to finally get an explanation from him, the club president went over to Shuuya and crouched beside him, taking one of his hand and holding it tightly. "Shuuya-kun," the voice didn't interrupt him at all. "Shuuya-kun," Yuuri repeated again, this time a little louder but gentler than before. It seems to at least receive acknowledgement as the male redhead turned his head to face her. "What actually happened out there with Yuuta-kun before? Why are you so afraid of him? Can you please tell us?"

At first, Shuuya shook his head without a sound at the request. "Please?" Asked Yuuri the second time, staring into his red eyes and tightening her hold on his hand. After fifteen seconds, the boy relented and stopped shaking as the others surrounded him.

"Fine then, I'll tell you. It all happened one day when we were in fifth grade…"

* * *

It was after school and the three of us, me, Yuuta and another of our friend, Sakaki-san. It was also a month after our sisters met each other. School let out a little late that day and the three of us were walking to the field to play with the other kids.

I was walking behind as Yuuta and Sakaki were in front of me. *sigh* I sighed, disappointed at myself for some reason or another that I couldn't remember since there were so many at the time. But, more probably, I was agonising over the fact that I still haven't moved forward ever since I and Sakaki-san befriended Yuuta. While Sakaki-san becomes smarter, discovering his knack for learning early and developing it, I was still the same person as before. Sure, I was praised by others for being a nice and gentle boy, but that was nothing but a personality and not a talent. What I wanted was something which I can be good at to match my two friends.

*sigh* Again, I sighed. With every sigh, the weight of the bag felt heavier and heavier.

"Shuuya, what are you sighing about back there?" Raising my head, I saw that Yuuta and Sakaki had paused their tracks and was turning to face me. "Cheer up a bit, you've been sighing a lot more these days than before."

"Is there some problem that plagued your mind?" Asked Yuuta, his brow rising up a bit. "You can tell us anything, you know."

Inwardly, I sighed and scolded myself for worrying my friends. "It's nothing, Yuuta. I was just thinking about some personal things, that is all."

"Shuuya, I'm sure you noticed this before but you're a terrible liar," I heard Sakaki-san's remark piercing my heart. "You're a nice guy, you shouldn't lie to others or keep things away from them, especially your own friends."

"Sakaki's right. What is really troubling you?" The blue eyes boy questioned.

Sighing once again, outwardly this time, I told them. "I'm just frustrated that I'm no way as talented as you two. If only I have something I'm good at, then maybe I'll become happier and not feel inferior to you two," I reveal my inner problem.

"Oh, so that's what," Sakaki rubbed his chin. "I don't have any ideas on what to dom I mean… you're nice and helpful enough that everyone likes you, is that not enough?" I shook my head. "Well, you can always study with me and Yuuta more so you can become smart too. But, err… your test results are not the most remarkable, to be honest." This prompts an even bigger sigh and a cloud of depression from me. "What about you, Yuuta?" Sakaki directed the question at Yuuta. "What do you think he can do to lift himself up?"

Smiling, Yuuta answered. "How about sports? I seem to recall that you were quite good at soccer, even praised a few times by our P. E teacher and other kids," I thought a little about that suggestion. "It may not be an immediate success, and you need to practice hard even if you had talent, but the results should be worthwhile, at least I think so."

"That seems a good idea, I'll try it. Thanks, Yuuta."

"No problem, that's what friends are for after all," the three of us then resumed walking. "Let's practice your skills at the field when we get there. You too, Sakaki. It couldn't hurt to become stronger physically."

"Heheh, but of course," Sakaki grinned at the question. "Speaking of which, shouldn't you take your own advice, Yuuta?"

The boy placed a hand on his chin. "I'm not sure about that. I think I'm strong enough to-" sadly, the rest of the words were cut down by an unexpected element.

Suddenly appearing before us, was a black van, the kind you would see in a show being used by a bad or suspicious guy. From the inside, three men, dressed in dark clothes and wearing a mask, pulled the three of us into the van. I tried struggling but then they pressed a cloth over my nose and everything faded to black a few seconds later.

When I woke up, the other two had already gained consciousness and were struggling against the shackles holding us. I observed, in the limited light of the place, that we were in some kind of small abandoned warehouse in a probably remote position since there was slight vegetation growing from the floor and walls. In the room there were also seven other people, all adults and dressed suspiciously, conversing with each other without paying attention to any of us. One of them, I heard, was talking on the phone with someone about a payment and ransom. That's when I realised that the three of us were kidnapped.

"There, I've already called those white coats snobs that we've completed the job," said the person conversing through the phone previously. "They promised to give us our payment later, once they've finished threatening this boy's father," he shoved at Yuuta's direction. "Now, all we have to do is wait."

"What about those two other brats that we caught?" Asked another member of the kidnappers. "What should we do about them? Ransom their families too?"

The man holding the telephone earlier walked closer to us and crouched down so that we're at eye level with him. "Nah, they don't seem too rich, to begin with. It would be a waste of time to ask money from their parents and rather unkind, no?" He smiled wickedly and pulled Sakaki-san's hair so that he faced him. "After all, the payment that we're gonna get from this job would make us so rich that we don't have to do these kinds of jobs for a long time."

"You disgust me," I heard Sakaki-san's voice. "Don't you have other things to do?" He growled before spitting I'm the man's face.

Rubbing his face, the man, the leader presumably, smiled again. "Haha, I like your feistiness kid. You remind me of my younger days. Too bad though… I was just thinking of releasing you and your redhead friend here without harm, and you just have to do that, don't you?"

"R-R-Really?" I muttered hopefully and shakily.

"Nope! That was a lie! Hahaha!" The guy stood up and laughed. "Did you really think we're gonna release any one of you from here? And alive at that? No, the only way you two are going to get out of here is in a body bag, and that's if you're lucky that the cops find this place," fear began to course through my body when I heard those words. "Hey, new guy! You wanna do the honours?"

From a corner of the room, another figure rises up and approached us. He seems to be younger than the rest but his eyes were as terrifying as they are. Hidden badly behind them was much bloodlust that I shook considerably in my place just by looking at him. As fast as the wind he closed the distance between us.

"He he, it's an honour to do it first," from his back pocket, he took out a pocket knife and trailed his fingers along the blade. "I've always wanted to do them without anyone spoiling the body." Around us, I could see the other kidnappers had walked closer.

"I know, that's why I'm giving you this chance while we wait for our payment," spoke the leader. "Spare the black haired boy, though. We don't know if our employees wanted more use of him."

"Underssstood," the young man replied. "I'm gonna have so much fun with you two," with one hand, he grabbed Sakaki-san by the hair and pulled him down to the ground before stomping on his body. "Hahaha! Gotta soften the flesh first before cutting after all!"

"Sakaki!" "Sakaki-san!" I and Yuuta yelled. Unfortunately for me, one of the older men punched me in the face.

"Stop screaming," he said coldly. "We're trying to enjoy a show here, or would you rather replace your friend?" I looked at Sakaki-san and saw that, although he's struggling to move his body away, there was not much he could do with the shackles binding him. All while the man torturing him laughed maniacally.

Glancing at Yuuta, I sensed his anger and rage over the scene before us; his looks seemed murderous enough to kill a man. Perhaps sensing this, the kidnappers' leader stood behind him and held his arm down.

"Don't worry, we're not going to hurt you. It wouldn't be good for our reputation if we broke our promise with our employees," the man remarked. "You know, there were several other groups that took on this job before us but they always failed and was never heard again… do you have any idea why?"

Yuuta was breathing hard when he responded. "Get… your… hands… away… from… my… friends!"

"Sorry, no can do," said another person, this one looking very muscular and big. "A job is a job, and an entertainment is an entertainment. Just like this piece of shit here," a kick went straight into my stomach and I fell forwards. "Sorry, new guy. I ruined this kid a little."

"Haha, that doesn't matter," the rabid man spoke as Sakaki-san lay on his feet, seemingly unconscious. "As long as I have the final blow."

"Sakaki!" Yuuta screamed again, struggling against his bindings more. "You bastards!"

"Yuuta…" I muttered weakly as a knife appears before me. Looking up, it was the man who tortured Sakaki-san before.

"I'm going to have fun with you next," he smiled, and drop down the knife dangerously close to my head. "Time for you to feel the pain."

I then felt my head being pushed down to the floor as his feet pressed on me. The other people joined and kicked my body from various directions while Yuuta screamed in the background. It was painful and I could only endure it for a minute before my mind faded to black again. The last thing I heard… was Yuuta's voice.

"Get… away… from… THEM!"

…

I don't know how long I passed out the second time, but regardless, when I woke up I could still feel the bruises from the beatings, though I couldn't feel the perpetrators anywhere near me. Slowly, I opened my eyes and tree to rub my face, before remembering that my hands were still tied down. Blinking, I raised my body up and sat down while trying to observe my surroundings.

The first thing I realised was that, there was a liquid of some kind on the floor, which in dismissed firstly as being water or alcohol, but the smell didn't match with anything I ever smelled. Secondly, the light inside the room seemed to be gone as the space was pitch black and severely limiting my vision. Next was the absolutely horrid smell that permeated the air, a stench I never knew and related to the smell of the liquid on the floor.

Suddenly, a ray of light shone from small holes on the wall. With its help, I was able to see a small figure standing at the centre of the room. I immediately recognised who it was, because it couldn't be Sakaki since he's lying face down just a little distance beside me.

"Yuuta!" I cried, joyful that he had seemingly escaped his bindings and can now call for help. However, any other words after that quickly died down I realised what he's standing around.

Bodies.

Dead bodies.

Blood.

Red blood.

That was what I saw around him and in the room. Those seven kidnappers that took us, their bodies were now scattered on the floor, almost all of them being cut, mutilated, torn apart and one skull was even effectively crushed, showing off the grisly inside bits. And the blood, it was everywhere; on the ceiling, the four walls, the floor, the little amount of furniture present, my clothes, and Yuuta's body. It was like someone dropped a bunch of red paint cans on top of him and the rest of the room. I was not ashamed to say that I wetted my shorts at the sight. I would have even threw up on the floor if not for what came after; Yuuta's stare.

It was something I never saw on him, even after being friends with him for five years. The gaze was dark, cold, empty, devoid of any emotion on one eye, while the other showed a whole myriad of emotions, none of it nice such as rage, anger, sadistic pleasure, superiority, strength, and corruption. His iris was even showing a darker shade of blue than usual, and it was terrifying to be on the receiving end of it.

Then, what followed was a smile; not a gentle smile like I've seen him have several times or a wry smile when Sakaki-san mentioned a joke, but a smile that shouldn't even be considered one, only classified as a smile because no other words can describe the action. Even when I have experienced many horror movies in my younger days, none of it was even remotely close to the feeling I was experiencing at that moment. The fear I had actually made me forgot of the terrifying sight all around me.

And then he started walking towards me.

I was shocked, and the shock gave away to more fear. I began sweating bullets even when he had only taken two steps.

"…Another one…" I heard Yuuta's voice, only it sounds wrong on so many levels due to the sound from his mouth seemingly having many different voices and tones. "…I wonder… how will you fare against me…" he(?) spoke while extending his left hand to me.

"Y-Y-Yuuta, stop. I-It's me, Shuuya; your f-friend," I managed to blurt out in an effort to snap him out of whatever condition he's in.

"…Who…?" He replied, having manifested the creepy smile again. The smile turned into a laugh as wrong as his voice. "…I do not know you… but… to beg at me… are you a weakling…?"

"Weakli-" my concussion was interrupted when Yuuta stepped onto a stray head and crushed it without even acknowledging the body part. That brought fear into my heart again. "Y-Y-Yuuta, p-p-please… s-stop."

He tilted his head, looking confused about the sentence, but grinned back later. "…Who are you to call me that…?" He neared closer, showing off his teeth, especially his canines. "…You shall not call me that anymore…" his hand was just above me, and was ready to faint again to save myself from the terror that would surely befall me. "…My name is Ki… ri… ha/ma-"

Yuuta couldn't finish the sentence as he dropped down right then and there right in from of me, his hand almost touching me. At the moment, I just stared emptily forward, mind still trying to process what just happened. Once again, I don't remember how long it was that I stayed that way, surrounded by my two unconscious friend and the bodies of dead peoples.

"YUUTA!" My emptiness was only broken when I heard the sound of the door being opened forcefully and a person yelling. "Time's out, you bastards!"

I slowly turned my head towards the source of the voice and was greeted by the sight of Kenji-san, Yuuta's father, standing at the doorframe wielding two guns in his hand. At least, that was his stance before he saw what was inside the room, and he immediately covered his mouth at the sight, though his eyes don't seem to show any shock or disgust at the situation, only slight displeasure.

Then, he noticed me and quickly strode over, ignoring the torn body parts and splatter of blood on the walls. The first thing he did when he arrived was to turn Yuuta over and check his pulses, or at least that's what I think he was doing. Next, he turned to me. "You're Shuuya, right?" I nodded. "Don't worry, everything will be fine. I'm here to save you all, though I see now that you don't need any."

"But Yuuta, he…" instantly, the sight and last words of Yuuta resurfaced in my head. "No… Kiriha, he… he… AAAARRGHH!" I screamed as the terrifying sight from before reentered and cursing the fact that my hands were shackled.

Thankfully, Kenji-san noticed my plight and broke the steel handcuffs holding me back, allowing me to hold my head as my mind came back to its senses and catching me up with every bit of fear and wrongness of the situation. I curled on the still-bloodied floor in a fetal position and trembled greatly.

"Shuuya, let's get out of here," it was only when Kenji-san pulled me up and led me out of the room that I was able to calm down slightly, enough to at least not scream all the time and walk a little steadily. Once outside, I found out that we're inside a forest with the warehouse the only building around. Waiting outside was the same van that took us away and a red car that I remembered belonged to Kenji-san. The bright colour spurned a violent reaction within me and I immediately threw up on the ground. It was then that I realised that since my eyes and hair were both red, I would never be free from the memory.

Struggling with holding kids on the shoulder, Kenji-san opened the door of the car and placed Yuuta and Sakaki at the backseat, them both still not waking up. Finishing that, he faced me again. "Shuuya, can I ask one thing from you?"

"W-What?" I muttered out, mind still reeling from this incident.

"Could you not tell anyone, especially Yuuta, of what happened this day?" He requested. "As for an alibi, I'll just say that I picked the three of you up and brought you all to my company for a visit. No one there would support the claim but they wouldn't deny it either, seeing as what I did to them this time."

"B-But, wouldn't Yuu-Kiriha remember what happened? And what about Sakaki-san?" I asked him.

He shook his head at the question. "No, I doubt he would remember, just like all the previous happenings. As for Sakaki, the damage to his head is quite bad, but not critical enough. It would be a simple case of short-term amnesia for him and as long as you don't talk about this subject around him, he would likely not remember anything that transpired on this day."

"Our clothes…"

"I'll buy you three some new ones later when we reached a shop," replied Kenji-san. "For now, get into the car before the police arrive and these two wake up. I don't want any unnecessary trouble to deal with."

I nodded and went inside the car sitting next to him. Turning in the engine, he drove away from the place.

* * *

"…After that, he sent us to our respective homes after buying a new set of clothes for us. He lied to Yuuta and Sakaki of what happened when they were unconscious and I just nodded at every statement until they believed him. It was ever since that day that I grew afraid of Yuuta and it took me several weeks before I could speak to him normally again." Shuuya finished his story before adding. "It was then that I began practicing hard in sports in an attempt to make myself look stronger which had the side effect of making Kiriha lazier since he didn't have to remind me of little things anymore as I have become independent of him, though the hard work certainly put a high amount of stress in me."

"Onii-san," called Ryuuko after the story is finished. "Is that the reason why you… have those things? To release your stress?"

The others sans Yuuri stared confusedly at the young redhead's question. "Yes, that is why" was Shuuya's reply. "In fact, I was mortally terrified when Kiriha found out about that secret, you know?"

"What secret are you talking about?" Asked Maki but her question was intercepted by Miki.

"Is that the reason… why you always seemed so scared of Yuuta-senpai, Shuuya-senpai?" The boy nodded. "I understand now. I thought it was odd that you would still call him Kiriha after all the years, turns out there's a reason behind it."

"Shuuya-kun," suddenly, the guy found himself being wrapped in a hug by Yuuri. "It must be hard for you to live with those memories inside you, right? But don't worry, you're not alone now, you can tell us anything that's in your heart. We-Nay I promise to share your pain as well as your joy."

The brown haired girl felt a squeeze on her hand. Separating a little, she was met with Shuuya staring at her face. "Then, would you accept me if I said I like you?"

Surprised, the girl couldn't speak anything for a few seconds before Kurumi elbowed her at the shoulder. "Hey, he's basically confessing to you, you know. Don't you think you should reply back?" She said with a grin.

Regaining her composure, Yuuri smiled gently at the boy before her. "I would accept you… but only if you accept me when I say I love you."

"He he, that's fine with me," smiled Shuuya. "But, it's pretty strange how of went like this… I would never have imagined things to go the way it was right now."

"Neither do we, neither do we," Aki remarked. "Except me of course!" She flashed a grin and a peace sign.

"…Erm…" the sound of Hika's voice alerted everyone. "…Shouldn't we do something right now…?"

Kurumi snapped her fingers. "Oh yeah! Yuuta told us to get away from here!" She immediately went to the driver's seat and turned the engine on. "And if what Shuuya-san said is true, then I really don't want to be near this place. We'll be safer if we move some distance away from here."

With that said, the RV began to spur to life and its wheels turned as Kurumi guided the vehicle slowly while avoiding what little amount of undead that hasn't completely swarmed the insides of the university. When they reached the main road with visibly less undead, the girl relaxed and parked the RV some four blocks away from the campus gate. She turned to the passengers.

"There, we should be safe for a while if we stay low in here and wait for Yuuta to, err… calm down, I say," she said uncertainly. "Hey, Shuuya-san, how long exactly do you think we should wait?"

The male redhead, who was currently sitting next to Yuuri, held his head in his hands and thought hard, occasionally shaking as the memories surfaced. After thirty seconds, he gave his opinion. "About fifteen minutes, I think?"

"Fifteen minutes huh…" Kurumi rubbed her chin. "Miki, do you think there's something we can do in the meantime?"

The whitehead girl shook her head in disappointment. "I can't believe how you could be so carefree, senpai. Our residence have been invaded, Yuuta-senpai is probably - though I don't want to think about it - mad and killing peoples, there's thirteen of us cramped in this small space, and you're asking me if there's something we could do on this free time?" Kurumi nodded in a confused manner in which Miki facepalmed. "Gosh, you're unbearable. Ask Yuki-senpai if you want some idea."

"Hey, that's a good suggestion. I forgot about her," remarked the purple haired girl. "Yuki, do you have something for us to do right now? It can be anything you want as long as it's something we can do," she listened but hears no response. Slowly, he turned to Yuuri. "Ri-san, Yuki is awake already, right?"

The girl paused from twiddling with her fingers and spoke. "I… I don't know…" she confessed. "I forgot about her after I treated her wounds. If she's still not awake she should be on the bed…" Yuuri gasped when he looked at the place. "…That Sino-san was sitting on right now."

True enough, sitting on the lower bed were Sino, Renya and Ryuuko(she's actually lying on it) with no indication of Yuki there. Instantly, Yuuri stood up and went over there, panicking all the way.

"No no, this cannot be," she said. "Yuki-chan should be here. Where is she? She couldn't have woken up and went outside, right?" She pulled Ryuuko up from her sleep and shook the little girl's body. "Ryuuko-chan, did you saw Yuki-chan anywhere near here, did you?"

"Erm…" Yuuri paused from her questioning and faced Sino. "Actually, forI noticed the back door was open earlier when we were ready to move, so I closed it. I think, she was gone before that time," she informed.

"What!?" That was the sound of Yuuri, Kurumi and Miki shouting. "What could she possibly be doing outside!?" Asked Kurumi. "We've got to save her, this place's swarming with them," she hurriedly grabbed her shovel and went to the door… but was stopped by Maki of all people.

"Get your hands off me!" Ordered the purple haired girl. "She's out there, in high danger and you're stopping me? Don't you care about her!?"

"Is that really your impression of me?" Spoke Maki, and Kurumi realised that she sounds different than usual, none of her sarcastic or cynical tones was present. "While that is true from one perspective, you're highly wrong on general," she remarked. "She's going to be fine, trust me."

"How can you be so sure?" Questioned Kurumi, lowering her hands. "Even if you're smart and brilliant there's no way for you to be sure of anything."

"That's why I'm sure in this matter," replied the blonde girl. "For there's something that could disrupt even the calculation of the most brilliant minds on earth, something that I always read about and intend to research when I'm older."

Kurumi, Miki, and the others were curious at her words, especially what comes next.

"Tell me, what do you know about the power of love?"

* * *

"Ha… ha…"

Leaning against a tree, Yuki paused to catch her breath. Granted, running all the way to the campus while evading undeads may be too much for her, but she's determined to do this through. Holding her cheek, she thought It's her fault things become this way after all.

Peering from behind the tree, she saw Yuuta's figure standing amidst the swarm of undead at the centre of the field. Curiously, they didn't seem to be approaching him, though that may be related to the fact that she could visibly see a black and corrupted miasma coming from his body, seemingly blending him with the surrounding beings. What's more, standing before him were the two scary persons that she recognised as Takahito and Ayaka, now their figure had been turned into an undead like the rest surrounding her husband.

Having reached this far, she truthfully didn't know what to do next. She was just compelled to come to Yuuta by a feeling from outside. She's starting to regret trusting her heart a bit, but she knows now that she can't let Yuuta be his evil self any longer especially when she heard what happened in Shuuya's story during her pretended unconsciousness; there was also that feeling again telling her to.

"What should I do?" The girl clutched her headwear. "Megu-nee, what so you think I should do to Yuu-kun?" Then, she quickly added. "Ah, do I have I hug him again? If that's so then I'll do it right now."

"Wait, Yuki-chan!" The pinkhead stopped in her tracks before she got two steps out. "There's no need to rush like that," the voice of her former teacher comforted her, and she could faintly feel her body being embraced from behind. What's wrong, however, was that she could see silver tresses of hair swaying beside her face, and it definitely didn't belong to her.

"Megu-nee?" She spoke, a little cautious and curious on why her former teacher had silver hair already. Surely the afterlife doesn't move that fast compared to the mortal world, right?"

"What is it?" The voice definitely sounds like her, but the silver hair still remains. She finally decided that the matter was not important at the moment.

"How do I save Yuu-kun now?" Yuki asked the friendly ghost/nature spirit/benevolent soul/figment of imagination/whatever behind her. In front, she could hear Yuuta laughing maniacally and swinging his sword in all directions, mostly at an angle upwards so they miss her.

"Hmm, that's a tough question," the voice replied. "Yuuta-kun really looks unpleasant now, doesn't he?"

Yuki nodded her head but shook it immediately after. "That's not true, even if he has that look, I know he is still the same Yuu-kun in the inside. All I have to do is to dispel the illusion of his bad self and everything will be back to normal, am I correct?"

"Well, that's one way to say it," said the voice. "But it's going to be hard to do it while he's like this, don't you think so?" The pinkhead had to agree on a little with the opinion. "Ne, Yuki-chan, do you really like him?" She heard her teacher ask. "Even when Yuuta-kun is being like that, even when he's doing much destruction, even when he might leave you one day, even if he hurt you, do you and would you still love him?"

Hugging her body, Yuki answered. "I don't know what will happen in the future, Megu-nee, and I doubt Yuu-kun knows too. This is my first time being close to someone as more than a friend, after all. That said, I do know one thing," she raised her head and closed her fist. "If Yuu-kun does break things, I will help him fix them, if Yuu-kun is turning bad and scary, then I will calm him down just like he does to me, if he ever hurts me but then apologises truthfully, then I will slap him back as retribution before forgiving him. Is it for those things that I know, I do love him. I love Yuu-kun, just as he does to me," Yuki finished her speech.

"I'm glad and proud of you Yuki-chan," the embrace on her body tightens. "He made the right choice by choosing you," Yuki wondered what those words mean but the slightly warm feeling lifted off from her body. "Your feelings are strong enough. I'm sure you will succeed in your endeavours. Call for him, and may your wishes be answered," the girl turned back but there's no sign of anyone or anything right behind her, nay but a slight breeze. "I wish you the good of luck, my child."

"Thank you," said Yuki with a bright smile. Then, she strengthened her resolve and come out into the open field in full view of Yuuta and the undeads. Taking a deep breath, the girl screamed out. "YUU-KUN! COME BACK TO YOUR SENSES!" The boy turned towards her as so the beings around him. "YOU'RE BEING BAD, YOU KNOW! YOU SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS, I DON'T LIKE IT!"

"Yuki…" the taint in his eyes vanished for a moment. "SHUT UP!" But only for a moment as he slashes the sword, cutting the air and sending a wave of dark energy(?) towards the girl… only for it to vanish before it reached her.

Moving her arms from her face, Yuki viewed the situation, in which she saw Yuuta extending his right arm, palm first, in her direction. The dark miasma from before had also mysteriously disappeared.

"What… happened?" The raven haired boy asked himself. "What was I doing? All I know is that a dark feeling came over me and…" suddenly, memories of his past misbehaviours resurfaced in his mind, giving him knowledge of what had happened and did happen the previous times he went on a rampage. "I… see… So I can do things like this… I've got to apologise to Shuuya after," he remarked as he opened back his eyes. That's when he saw his wife in danger.

The pinkhead was now surrounded by undeads of numerous amounts, distracted by her shout and no longer had anyone controlling them. With no way out, Yuki had taken to climb the tree she's standing beside, with very low success. However, she did not sport the usually scared look as always, instead of an expression of anger… like a little cat.

"No! Yuki!" Called Yuuta at her, which had the unintended effect of pulling the other undeads around him closer. "Get away from her!" He screamed again, the darkness returning slightly to his eyes. The undeads followed that command, a surprise to him, as so the ones surrounding him. However, while in this state he had the morbid desire to wreck destruction, spread corruption and invoke chaos to the area. He tried to control it, with slight success and managed to keep his heart just a little pure to control the new known power.

"I, Kiriha Yuuta, heir to the Kiriha family order you all… TO LEAVE THIS PLACE!" Commanded the boy at the horde of undeads.

As if being mind-controlled, the swarm walked, or more rightly shuffled, away from the field and out of the campus grounds. Inside the RV, everyone gasped in disbelief as they watched the undeads leaving the place like an organised group, line by line.

Also viewing the weird scene, Yuki pulled away from the tree when there was no more of them circling her. With a smile, she moved towards Yuuta, who collapsed a few steps before she reached him.

"Yuu-kun! Are you okay?" She asked, worried about the condition of her partner. Lifting his body up, she let him leant against her body.

"Yeah, *cough* *cough* I'm alright. No need to worry about me, just a little hungry," Yuuta answered with a grin, though Yuki obviously didn't believe him. However, she let the matter slide and patted her husband on the back softly.

"It's okay, as long as you're fine now," replied the pinkhead.

Staring at his wife, Yuuta opened his mouth. "Hey, Yuki?" The girl hummed in acknowledgement. "Do you mind if we stay like this a little longer? I don't want to get up yet."

A gentle smile graced the young woman's lips. "Of course, however long you want, Yuu-kun."

"Thanks."

It would be fifteen minutes later before their friends found them embracing at the middle of the field and called their names, but they didn't move immediately.

They have each other after all.

* * *

Greetings~ Author's Note here~

Woohoo, this is the longest chapter I've ever written in this moment, and it sure is long. Sorry if that's not what you readers want since I just got… well, carried away and I couldn't find a good separation point(I'm sure I've said that before) but anyway, here it is, the latest chapter and chock full of information, backstory, and revelation. This will also be the second-last chapter in the college arc, and starting from here is where I'll really diverge from the manga… or at least if the manga doesn't have an interesting chapter that would inspire me.

Anyway, hope you like this chapter and review lots! Have a nice day or night, and see you later~


	20. Chapter 20: Another Decision

Chapter 20 - Another Decision

The morning after was tense.

That statement was an understatement but also overstated. It was tense for some people, but for the rest, it was just a normal day like any other. The only exception was the curry they're eating which had a disturbingly low amount of potatoes and meat on each plate. This, however, did not stop certain individuals to happily consume the food like no tomorrow.

"Aahhhh… I'm full," said a pink haired girl as she placed her plate on the table.

"Me too," spoke the male beside her, drinking from his glass. "I'm quite exhausted from yesterday."

At the mention of the day before, some of the saner and less screwed over people twitched their eyebrows. The one with black hair and round hat opened his mouth to speak but closed it a second after.

After two minutes of eating amongst themselves, with the ones who finished talking with each other, one person couldn't take it anymore and stand up, finally voicing her and the other's questions over what transpired yesterday.

"Yuuta!" Kurumi slammed her palm on the table surface, surprising everyone in the room. "That's enough idling around! We've given you plenty of space now, so tell us, what did you actually do yesterday!? What happened!? How did those undeads invaded the campus and walked out just like that!? Did you get Yuki hurt anywhere!? Who are you!? What are you!? And most importantly, what's up with your evil laugh!?"

Finishing her onslaught of queries, the purple haired girl breathed hard and stared at the person in question, looking for an answer from him. Well, except the last one. Almost everyone sweatdropped at that.

Smiling, Yuuta placed his hands under his chin and uttered a simple line. "I don't know."

The reply caused Kurumi to fall off her chair. Standing back up, she glared at the boy and would have reached over to him if the table was clear of food and utensils. "Don't joke around, Kiriha Yuuta," the girl growled out. "I want an explanation, several in fact, of what you did yesterday, and I imagine everyone here would want that too," around her, several people slowly nodded. "So, hurry up and spill the beans. What secret are you keeping from us?"

The black haired boy chuckled slowly which admittedly unnerved some people in the room before responding to the purple haired girl again. "As I said before, I really don't know. And I'm serious, Kurumi," he narrowed his eyes at the person. "I'm not joking, I truly lost control over my consciousness and what happened but I still retain the memory of what I did in the time. It's like what happened before when we were still in school and I was infected, though now that I have some rest, I vividly felt that the persona may have slipped out several times in the past. Oh, and Shuuya," he turned towards his red-haired friend. "I remember you were in one of them. Sorry if I hurt you physically or emotionally."

"It's nothing, Kiriha," Shuuya smiled gently while moving his hands in front. "I'm okay, you don't have to worry about me." He the felt a light jab at his left side.

"Psst, Onii-san," it was Ryuuko, his sister. "Don't you think you should tell Yuuta-san gully what happened? After all, he was the reason why you-" the girl's sentence was stopped by a kick to her left leg.

"Shut up and just roll with it, Ryuuko," chastised Maki under her breath. "There's a time for that and it's not necessarily now, so keep quiet until he's out of sight."

Pouting, the young redhead girl complied reluctantly and focused back on her plate. Not minding the two, it was now Touko's turn to ask.

"Are you really sure about that, Yuuta?" Queried the glasses woman. "Any thoughts, information, memory or tidbits could be a clue towards finding an explanation for this phenomenon," she raised her spectacles. "Does anything come into your mind?"

"No," replied the boy, plain, short and simple. "I don't think there's any information on what caused me to turn into 'that' persona, though I do know why the reason is," he glanced at Yuki. "But nevertheless, maybe I'll remember it eventually if I try. So, another rest is due then. And since there's not much danger now, I don't have to get out often, right?"

Miki answered her upperclassman's question. "No, you don't have to, senpai. You really send them as far away as possible from us. We'll probably won't be seeing them for a few days at least, " the white haired girl sipped her tea. "After all, we don't know what will happen if you went into contact with them again, so let's just play it safe for now."

"Great," the black haired teen beamed. "Then, I'll rest in my room for now. If any of you want to talk, then you're welcome," standing up, he walked towards the entrance. "See you later everyone. And thanks for the food Ri-san, Maki."

Exiting the room, the others waved their hands at the young adult until they were certain he was out of sight and hearing range. Then, Kurumi slumped back into her seat tiredly.

"Argh… he ignored me again," such was her groaning. "Why is it that he never tell me anything but when with you three he's all open and such? Argh…"

"Maybe it's something to do with your slightly brash attitude, senpai," remarked Miki. "It's not something that most people like when considering who to talk with," still sipping her tea as she said so, ignoring the death glare directed at her.

"…Erm…" a small voice was heard in the room. Hika fidgeted a bit before speaking her mind. "… Perhaps…it's something to do with his sword? …Or…his father?" She proposed.

The club leader, both of them, thought about the topic. "That does sound like a possible explanation," said Yuuri. "After all, Yuuta-kun and his father did say that the sword had been in their family's possession for a very, very, long time. Furthermore, even if Kenji-san didn't fully invent the virus, he was the one who studied it and released it. It's not implausible to think that he knew about Yuuta-kun's other side, and Shuuya-kun's account seems to support it."

"Yes, but how does it work?" Touko questioned. "That burst of dark aura, controlling 'them', and the laugh, there's now way there's a valid scientific explanation for it," Yuuri sweatdropped again at the mention of the last one. "So, it must be the works of something supernatural! There's no doubt about it!" She exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Eh… I don't like scary stuff like that," spoke Aki. "You've been watching too many movies, Rep."

"Hmph! Sometimes there's simply no plausible and logical explanation for an event. When that happens, the role of other forces from outside of the physical world cannot be denied," the somewhat annoying voice came from Maki who had once again whipped out her smokeless smoke pipe, rising from her chair and walking around the dining table. "It is for that reason that we can safely conclude Ruiko's-onii-san's source of strength derives from another force which allows him to do what he did yesterday, and presumably in past instances. It's only natural to come to this conclusion after all," commented the blonde girl while sipping the pipe.

Kurumi rested her head on one hand and responded sceptically. "I'm beginning to change my opinions of you. I thought you're a smart and annoying girl who only thinks things logically, but to think you joined in proposing a supernatural explanation, are you really clever or not? Plus, your speech on the Power of Love yesterday really sound genuine that I can't believe you thought up of it yourself. You stole it from somewhere, am I right?"

"Hey! That's 'annoying' part is unnecessary!" The young girl complained. "And if you must know, that speech really was not made by me, though I'm the one who edited it. It was made by Onii-sama himself," Kurumi gasped at the revelation. "He's been doing the research since his first year in highschool to study what effects affection and love have towards a person. Apparently, since he went out with you his track time had lowered by twenty percent, a moderate increase in concentration, a great boost in happiness, earlier wake-up time by an hour, and an improved taste in food, though the last one was due to me becoming better in cooking. So yeah, I just continued from where he left off with observations on our only married couple. If Onii-sama can become greater with love, I don't see why anyone else can't since it's one of the things humans are required to have to survive. Does that answer your question?"

Blushing at hearing too much, Kurumi nodded as so the other girls, except Renya(yeah, he and Sino were there, where else would they be?). Satisfied, the young girl sat back on her seat.

"Still, don't you think it's mysterious how Yuuta-san can do that?" Remarked Ryuuko who recovered quicker than the others. "It's also a bit amazing, and scary, how he does things like that when those he cared about are hurt, without realising it," she finished the last of her rice before resuming. "If only Onii-sama was like that."

"Ryuuko… but I did protect you all this time, didn't I?" the older Akazawa sibling protested on his sister's statement.

"Yeah, but you're not expressive enough. I never even see you get mad at something or someone. You're always either sighing at home or smiling when in the company of others. It looks really fake, though I can't blame you fully now. You're trying your best to live life from a traumatic experience," Shuuya smiled at the positive-sounding line. "That said, I still like Yuuta-san better than you. At least he shows exactly what he feels about something instead of concealing it."

Bumping his head on the table, the male redhead emitted a gloomy aura as Ryuuko finished her last sentence. "Shuuya-kun," hearing his name being called, he moved his eyes upward to see a brown haired girl looking at him. It was Yuuri. "I'm sure Ryuuko-chan didn't mean it like that," shooting a disturbing glare sideways at the little girl. "And I know she still loves you, right?" Shooting another intense gaze at her, who actually stare back, unfettered by the threat. They both continued battling glares until Shuuya sighed and told them to stop.

"Even when you all said that, I still can't believe how someone like him can not only take out both Takahito and Ayaka, but command 'them' and emit such a strong and tainted presence that the surrounding grass became dark and dry, it's kind of hard to believe," spoke Renya of his views.

Aki looked at him amusedly. "You live in a zombie apocalyptic world. I think what can be believed and not has changed drastically from the first day," the man blushed at the response. "Anyway, we should ask the girl herself about her opinions. She's the one who calms him down after all. What do you think, Yuki?" Turning to face her, the orange haired woman found that the pinkhead was not in her seat, and nowhere in the room either. "Hey, where is she?"

"If you're looking for Yuki-senpai, she went out some minutes earlier," replied Miki, a book in her hands. "You just don't notice since you're all busy talking to each other."

"What, again?" Kurumi exclaimed. "How is it that she can sneak out when she's usually the loudest of us all?" She shook her head.

Yuuri places one hand on her shoulder. "That's fine, Kurumi. I imagine Yuki-chan is seeing Yuuta-kun since there must be something they want to talk about. It's alright if we let her go for a while."

"Yeah, you're correct about that, Ri-san," the purple haired girl replied. Then, a mischievous glint appeared in her eyes. "Wanna spy on them?"

Currently, Yuki was running through the hallway of the college building, opening doors left and right. She's looking for Yuuta, who was not in their room when she checked inside earlier. That had her worried and she went off searching for him.

Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, the pinkhead leant against the wall and started thinking on where Yuuta's whereabouts could be. Putting her index fingers on her head, she begins wondering what her partner would think if he's in her shoes. Where would he look eventually if she was the one missing?

A moment later, the solution clicked inside her mind. She resumed running upwards through the stairs until she grinds to a halt behind a door. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and was beheld with the sun shining towards her.

Stepping onto the rooftop, Yuki shielded her face with her hand while her eyes adjust to the light. Peering around her, her gaze fell on a lone figure in the area, lying on the floor face up with his hands behind his head. Slowly, she approached the person.

Standing just before him, the girl looked onto the face of the person. His appearance, as simple as it was, seemed so peaceful while he lay up here, almost like an innocent newborn that knows nothing of the world's horror. Crouching down, she felt the urge to caress his soft cheeks and gave in to the desire.

Stroking the rough but somewhat comforting skin, she was surprised when suddenly the person's eyes shot open and stared at her. She retracted her hand but the figure stopped her.

"Don't. Keep going," requested Yuuta simply.

And so, Yuki resumed touching her partner's face, with the boy closing his eyes at the caress. They stayed like that for a minute more before the black haired boy opened his mouth again.

"Does it hurt anymore?" Spoke Yuuta, asking about the wound on her left cheek.

"Just a little," the girl replied.

"It's going to leave a scar won't it?"

"Maybe," and with that, silence reigned again between the two, but it's a comforting one and the type Yuki didn't mind having.

Then, she felt a grip on her hands which proceed to pull her down. The pink haired girl shrieked a little as she landed on the other side of her partner, backside down.

"Yuu-kun!" Yuki turned to her side and smacked the boy mildly. Yuuta just laughed at her reaction. "What was that for!?" She asked while pouting.

"Nothing, just feeling mischievous for a moment," Yuuta stated, still chuckling at his companion's face. Reaching towards her hands, his face dissolved into a gentle smile. "That's a nice face you got there."

Yuki responded with a smile of her own as she lay down on the floor. "Of course, I'm your wife after all. I'm pretty, aren't I?"

"Well…" drawled Yuuta, playfully looking at her. "Maybe?" He winked.

"Ergh… Yuu-kun…" Yuki made a growling sound.

"I'm joking, Yuki. Joking," the boy quickly defended himself, but with a giggle. "You're good enough for me."

"He he, don't mention it," the girl shyly rubbed her head. Soon, the peaceful serenity returned as the couple enjoyed the feeling of being with each other while the wind blows around them. However, Yuuta broke the silence.

"I'm thinking of venturing outside again," he muttered.

Yuki was shocked at the statement but knew that it was not a request but a fact. He cannot be dissuaded at this moment anymore. "Why, may I ask?"

Raising his right arm towards the sky, Yuuta answered her. "To find my true self. Yesterday's happenings showed me that there are many things that I still don't know about myself, my purpose in life, and the meaning of my existence, not to mention from where I come from actually. 'Who I really am?', that is the question. I know that my dad keeps that information a secret from me, and I'm not likely to get anything out of him. That's why, all I can do is travel the world, just like what those peoples in many shows do to find their identity. As to where I'll go, I'll just let my soul guide me to where I'm supposed to go."

"Can I come with you?" Asked Yuki, nibbling at her bottom lip.

The black haired boy turned to face his partner. "Even if I said no, you would want to join in any way, won't you?" The girl giggled at being read so easily. "But then, I do want you to go with me, not just so I can protect you, but also for you to keep me safe from myself. Can you join me, Yuki? I know it's a little too much to ask for," he raised his upper body and stared forward. "But, you're the only person I have left in this world that I care much for, and I can't bear to be apart from you, so-," suddenly, a finger stopped his words.

"Yuu-kun, you don't have to worry about that, I will follow you," Yuki retracted her finger from Yuuta's lips. "You can rest assured that I will protect you, and I will not abandon you in any way no mater what. That's because, I do love you, and we're married now, aren't we?"

"Yeah, I forgot about that sometimes," Yuuta stared at the ring on his finger. "But still, I'm glad that I met you in this world, even if the conditions are not desirable for anyone, I'm glad," the pink haired girl smiled. "Oh, and Yuki," the young woman turned her head to feel a warm sensation on her lips. "Love you too."

The young man then proceeded to lock their lips together while keeping her pinned down under him. Yuki, for her part, stopped resisting after the first ten seconds and just let the embraces come to her. As the two were being close to each other, their bodies rubbed together and Yuuta's right leg placed itself between the girl's thighs on her nether region. The kissing intensified and they began using their tongues against each other, battling for domination in their mouth. The girl's panties started to wet themselves and a certain tightness felt in the boy's pants. Before things turn dangerous, however, Yuuta pulled back from Yuki's mouth and licked the edge of his lips, leaving a slightly dazed Yuki on the floor.

"Yuu-kun…why…stop?" Uttered the pinkhead in a flushed state. Her brain was still reeling in from the sudden pleasure that she felt.

"Well, for one thing, we may not be able to stop if we go much further," Yuuta explained. "As for the other reason, I don't think you and I want them to see our lovemaking, am I right?" He gestured at the door to the rooftop, which was slightly ajar. "Come out now, you know you can't hide from me!" The boy suddenly shouted.

Slowly, the door opened fully, revealing several figures standing at the doorframe. Kurumi, Miki, Yuuri, Ryuuko, Maki and the others looked on the situation with smiles and smirks of their own. There was also a hint of pink colour on their cheeks.

However, that did not compare to the red blush appearing on Yuki's face at being found out… again, by everyone else. Steam rises from her head and she swayed a little before Yuuta steadied her feet. Still embarrassed, she glared at her partner. "Yuu-kun, why didn't you said so earlier!?"

"Hihihi, I just want to see if they'll reveal themselves or not," replied Yuuta with a grin. Turning to the small group a little distance away, he gestured for them to come closer. Once they're within speaking range, the boy spoke. "You've heard what we're talking about, I suppose?"

"Yes," that was Touko's answer. "Though, do you really need to go away. You can just stay here where you don't have to worry about anything, just living life day by day. It's enough, isn't it?"

The blue eyes boy shook his head. "No, it's not enough. This threat will not simply go away if we just leave it as it is. As long as they exist in this world, there will always the threat of danger to us," he smiled at the peoples before him. "That's why I'm going, to stop all of this in whatever way I can."

"If that's so, then I'm coming with you too," Kurumi exclaimed, pumping her fist forward. "Ya need someone to drive and fight after all."

"Me too," muttered Miki. "Yuki-senpai and Kurumi-senpai need someone to take care of them after all," the twin tailed girl protested at the remark.

"I… guess I'll be going too," uncertainly, Yuuri stated. "Even if I do feel uncomfortable leaving this place, I feel more uncomfortable with the thought that I'll be left behind. After all, Shuuya-kun will be joining too, right?" She glanced at the redhead.

"Yes, that's certainly true," responded Shuuya, his right fist on his chest. "I will follow you anywhere Yuuta, but I will prioritise Yuuri-san first and then the others," the statement raised an eyebrow from Yuuta and a crimson streak on Yuuri's face.

"If that girl is going then I… will not go," Maki exclaimed her choice, much to Kurumi's shock. "I have enough of arguing with her to last me several years, years which I know she will still be alive when we meet again," Kurumi gasped at the blonde's statement. "So make sure you don't waste your life!"

"Since Maki-chan's not joining, then I will not be coming with you peoples either," Ryuuko voiced her decision. "Someone's got to keep her company after all."

Turning to face his sister, the older Akazawa sibling asked her. "Are you sure, Ryuuko?"

The redhead girl smiled at the question. "Yes, I'm sure, Onii-san. You know, all this time I've actually been waiting to entrust you to somebody else, someone who can keep you out of trouble, someone who likes you for who you are inside and outside, a girl which I like being around, and someone nice generally for you to be with. Now, you've got Ri-san, right? I am content with things and there's no more reason for me to stick with you anymore," Shuuya lowered his head in understanding. Then, Ryuuko added whisperingly. "Also, I can't leave these Onee-sans here without someone to cook, can I? They'll turn unhealthy and unwomanly if left for too long." The brother nodded a little and hoped that the other girls didn't hear her.

"We'll stay here, of course," Exclaimed Touko, folding her arms across her chest. "This is our college, our home, and our sanctuary. We'll do anything to protect it and make life more comfortable for everyone here."

"Yes, especially since we're not divided anymore, right guys?" Aki wounded her arms around Renya and Sino's neck, a grin on her face. The two former Melee Fight Club members nodded their heads a little awkwardly.

"You… don't have to worry about us…" uttered Hika while making a determined expression. "We can… take care of ourselves."

"This is the first step for the revival of civilisation, isn't it?" Rise muttered to herself. "Yes, the journey to reclaim our lands will eventually lead to other things which will surely bring humanity back from this societal collapse," she nodded, seemingly agreeing with herself.

Yuuri clapped her hands at this moment. "It's settled then. Shall we prepare for the journey right now? The sooner we go the sooner we can hope to return here," her words were met with a cheer from most of the group.

"Wait," Miki suddenly spoke. "Before we go, there's someone that I want you all to meet."

Standing before the door to the chemistry lab, Miki pressed the intercom button. A few seconds later, a familiar voice to her came from the speaker.

"What is it?" The voice seemed the same to her as the moments before. "Do you have any new information? If so, then speak up."

The whitehead shook her head. "No, but I would like to ask you something. First, can you please come outside?"

The voice gruffed at the question. "What is so important that it requires me to go leave my place? I hate it the outside, you know. Just tell me what you want."

"There are some things that you can't obtain unless you venture out," stated Miki. "Besides, don't you want to have a look at this?" She held up the Emergency Manual booklet.

The person inside looked surprisingly at the screen before her. "Where did you get that?" She asked disbelievingly.

"We found this at our school," replied Miki. "I suspect that there's a similar one in this university, but we didn't have any luck in finding it. Well, do you want to come outside or not?"

After some moments of silence, the response came. "Wait there." She rises from her seat and placed her belongings and research papers in a bag before going for the door.

Two minutes of waiting later, in which Miki sat on the stairs, the entrance opened and out came a mature looking woman, wearing a lab coat above a sweater and denim pants, under her shoulder a bag. Standing up, the girl watched as the person shielded her eyes from the Sun's ray.

"I dislike the outside," she muttered to no one in particular. Adjusting her eyes to the light, the woman finally noticed that Miki was not the only person outside with her.

Right in front of her, there were several more peoples staring at her a little weirdly and curiously. Slightly startled, she glanced at Miki who just smiled as if nothing is out of the ordinary. Glaring a bit, she returned her gaze back towards the crowd before her.

One of the females, a member of the other group if she's not mistaken, approached her and extended a hand. "So, I take it you're the new member that Miki and Rise said," the girl adjusted her glasses. "Err, what's your name again?"

"Aosoi. Aosoi Shiiko," the woman answered in a bored manner. Ignoring the girl, she looked around at the other peoples, mostly some that she recognized belonging to the university's survival group but some were definitely new to her, such as the tall redhead male, a similarly red-haired middle school girl with a blonde of the same age, a twin-tailed purple haired girl carrying a shovel, a brown haired girl standing beside the redhead guy, a short pink haired girl and a… familiar looking person that bears a very striking resemblance to another she once knew several years ago. Not believing what she saw, the researcher walked forward towards the person to ascertain it clearly with her other senses.

Before Shiiko could reach him, however, Yuki stood in front of Yuuta and shielded him from any sudden actions from the woman. It was then that the researcher regained her thoughts and composure. She then said one line towards Yuuta.

"You really do look like him."

Obviously, the black haired boy was confused at the line and asked her. "Who do you mean by that?"

"Your father," the reply was simple and short. "You are Kiriha Kenji's son, am I right?"

Shocked, Yuuta questioned Shiiko. "How do you know him?"

With a sigh, the woman answered. "We were students in the same course during our college days. I know him and your mother even if I don't like her. I also know about his researches and goals, very ambitious and impossible-seeming they are to everyone else but him. However, I see that he had finally succeeded."

"Yes…" growled Yuuta, dark and low. "Yes, he does…"

Sensing the uncomfortableness in the air, Yuuri tried to direct Shiiko's attention towards their real purpose of coaxing her out. "Aosoi-san, Miki-san told us that you know about the world outside better than us, so would you help us?"

Turning her gaze away from Yuuta, she replied. "Depends. Where is that manual," Miki hurriedly gave the booklet to her. Quickly, she skimmed through the pages, reading the parts that interested her.

After a minute, she finished and opened her mouth. "Okay, so what do you want to know about?"

"We were thinking of a destination that could have a relation to the virus or other signs of civilisation," explained Shuuya. "Do you have any clue of where we should be going?"

Holding the Emergency Manual in her hands, the researcher asked first. "What do you want to do should you find a place like that, not counting the chance such a place other than the ones you visited exists anyway."

"We're going there, obviously," Yuki was the one to reply. "It's our responsibility to help other peoples and encourage them to live," she held her fists in front of her chest.

"That's a nice way of saying it, Yuki. I'm proud of you," said Yuuta as he rubbed his wife's head. Said girl giggled at the touch.

Watching the scene, Shiiko lifted the corner of her mouth. "Perhaps you two are not so different after all," she remarked slowly. Before anyone could hear what she just said, the woman walked away towards the main campus building. "I know several possible places where you might want to check out. Let's discuss inside for that, the heat is killing me."

Once inside, Shiiko brought out a map of the country and pointed at several spots where she had calculated to be the probable zero point in which the plague first appeared and, by extension, must be the place where the cause of the pandemic lay. Marking several other places, she stated that those places are where she had pinpointed to be locations where there's a high chance of a group of surviving humans sheltering.

Once a route had been set and supplies loaded into the RV, the staying group held a party for the venturing group the night before the travel for their safety and general fun among the members. It was quite possibly the last time that they will be together for a long time after all.

When the day after comes, everyone said their goodbyes and see you laters towards the other group. Shuuya was still sad that Ryuuko didn't want to come with them, Maki and Kurumi were trying to say something nice to each other but kept spouting tsundere lines, Yuuri gave a manual book to Touko to make it easier for her to manage her club, Miki received a new notebook from Rise with hopes of reading more of their adventures, Yuki and Aki hugged each other for one last time and finally, Yuuta stated his trust towards Renya and that he believes he will protect the college residents, in which the glasses guy accepts a little fearful and reluctant but still determined. Meanwhile, Sino was staying by Shiiko's side inside the campus building.

Entering the RV, Kurumi started the vehicle's engine and held the steering wheel firmly. After saying one final farewell, she drove forward towards the destroyed entrance gate and onto the open road, devoid of undeads for several hundreds of meters around.

Backed with the waves and well wishes of their friends at the university, the group looked ahead and await for what new sights and situations they may find and discover in this still ruined world.

Indeed, was that not the point of an adventure?


	21. Chapter 21: Separate Struggle

Chapter 21 - Separate Struggle

"Do not move!" Said the soldier, pointing his firearm at Shuuya.

"Place your weapons on the ground and raise your arms, and don't try to fight!" Ordered the second soldier. Another one simply behind, looking menacing and tough.

Shaking, Yuki put her arms in the air while Kurumi and Miki glared at the two men as they dropped their shovel and sword respectively. Yuuri stood nervously beside Shuuya who's clenching his fist, wanting to attack but couldn't due to the risk. As for Yuuta-

"Who are you to order us?"

\- If looks could kill, then everyone in the vicinity would be soulless by now from his cold gaze. Standing in front of his group, he stared defiantly at the trio of army men.

"Why you little!" The soldiers who have not said a word trained his gun's barrel at the boy's head. "You dare defy the military, kid?" His finger close to pulling the trigger, Yuki shouted.

"Yuu-kun!"

* * *

It was just a normal morning for them, several days after they left St. Isidore's College and started their journey. The group had mostly familiarize themselves back to travelling on the road, with only Yuki forgetting that they're not in a large building anymore once in a while.

Yuuta was driving that day, and the others were mostly resting after the breakfast they had. Their destination for the moment was to one of the location where it was believed some humans were sheltering. Just three days earlier they arrived at one mark but found no sign of humans apart from the burnt traces of fire on the ground, which could be left some weeks ago.

Anyway, it was supposed to be another normal day of driving towards their next destination, eating snacks, teasing Shuuya and Yuuri, avoiding undeads, having to deal with Yuuta and Yuki being lovey dovey with each other, and finding another place to camp for the night. None of them was expecting anything different to happen that day, and they didn't want anything to happen anyhow.

Sadly, something did happen that morning nevertheless, much to their distaste and shock.

As it so happens, Miki was the one who notices something in the sky while the RV was moving.

"Hey," Miki voiced out, his figure leaning by the glass. "Look up there. Is that a… plane?" The whitehead pointed upwards.

Her statement attracted the attention of the other members of the group and they crowded towards the windows to see the object. "Where is it? I don't see anything," commented Kurumi.

"Up there, in the horizon, see?" Miki gestured once again outside the windows, up and sideways towards the sky.

"Oh, I see it," spoke Shuuya. "But, I don't think that's a plane, Miki-san. Planes should travel father than that," he remarked.

"Then, what is it?" Questioned Yuuri, also seeing the flying object.

"Perhaps it's a helicopter?" Yuuta suggested from his seat, eyes still on the road. "It's a more possible answer after all."

Shuuya nodded, agreeing with his friend. "Yes, that could be it. But wait! If there's a working helicopter flying in the sky right now, then wouldn't that mean…"

"They're being piloted by other humans," Miki finished his words. "They must be other survivors! We should signal to them that we're here so they can come down and meet us!"

Hearing the whitehead's enthusiastic response, Yuki cheered up. "Yay, that means we found what we're looking for, right?" Then, she put on a thoughtful look. "Hmm… I wonder if they're good or bad peoples."

"Eh, we just have to meet them first and judge later," said Kurumi. "I mean, it should be worth the risk, no?"

"You sure about that Kurumi," came Yuuta's voice again. "Because the last time we met other peoples, they don't leave a good impression on us," he reminded her.

"Yeah, but we did meet some nice peoples besides them, right?" Countered the twintailed girl. "No risk, no gain."

"If that's what you want," the driver sighed. "So, I take it we should stop and try to make them notice us?"

Yuki enthusiastically nodded, as do Miki. Shuuya looked hesitant but agreed when Yuuri did. Kurumi flashed a grin at her victory.

"Well, stop it is then," the blue eyes boy relented to his friends choice and parked the car near a building. Quickly, the others went outside and climbed up to the roof of the RV.

"Hey, over here!" Kurumi and Yuki shouted together while waving at the object. "Stop! We're right here!" Shuuya, Miki and Yuuri join in on the waving as the five try to attract the copter's attention.

As the heli came closer and closer, Yuuta noticed that the colour and design was that of what the military used. 'Then again, that's probably because only the military has access on such things. The peoples could just have found it lying around in a military base and use it to move around. Though, why do they still linger aroumd here anyway?'

Thinking about those things, Yuuta didn't notice that the helicopter had apparently lowered it's altitude and was approaching the ground slowly.

"Yay, we did it!" Yuki cheered, followed by Kurumi and Shuuya. That is, until they found that the machine gun barrel placed at the front was trained directly at them. Then, bullets fly off around the vehicle as they hit the undeads on the ground.

Everyone cowered down for a minute before the barrage of bullets died down. Only then, did the five raised their heads again and looked forward. In their surroundings were the bullet ridden bodies of the undeads, none of them moving anymore.

Still shocked, Shuuya descended first to the ground before Yuuri and the three followed. Yuuta also came out from the RV and stood at the front of the group. Looking at the copter, it slowly descends lower and lowrler until it finally landed on the road, though unstably. Grasping their respective weapons, Kurumi and Miki readied themselves for whoever might come out.

What they got(or heard) first, was a bullet flying towards them and burying itself on the ground, just missing Yuuri's head by an inch. The girls looked in shock while the two boys glared at the ones who stood before them.

There were three soldiers in total, all wearing the usual army uniform and carrying a submachine gun in their arms. One of those guns had a small trail of smoke coming out from it's barrel, indicating it was the one that fired the shot.

"Do not move!" Said one of them, gun pointing at Shuuya.

And that is how we came to this situation, in which Yuuta was defiantly staring at the army men while one was clearly preparing to kill him, and Yuki shouting his name.

Standing still without a hint of fear, a bullet shot out of its barrel and travelled through the air towards Yuuta, and he slowly closed his eyes, as if preparing for the impact without fear.

* * *

Standing atop a tall building, a military personnel saw a helicopter that he recognised as belonging to the army and one that just went off for an expedition the evening before. Raising his pair of batons, he signalled for the copter to land on the helipad slowly until the concrete and feet rail connects.

Waiting a few seconds for the helicopters engine to die down, another man from the sidelines walked over to the transportation and stood before the side door. As the hatch opens, a soldier came out of the front seat, his helmet covering his face. Upon sight, he saluted the other man on the roof.

"Good morning, sir," the man that just came from the heli greeted. "Officer Kururugi reporting back from expedition."

Nodding in acknowledgement, the man asked. "Where are the other two with you?"

"Unfortunately, they met their end, sir," the lower officer replied. "We underestimated the enemy numbers and I myself only barely made it to the copter. The two were already gone by that point."

"That's certainly unfortunate," commented the senior officer with mock regret.

"But, I do bring some good news," said Officer Kururugi. "Or may I say, good resources," one hand on the back door, he slides it open to reveal two teenage girls, one with purple hair and the other white. Their wrists were cuffed down and their eyes glaring at the two men.

"I say, this is a good find, soldier," the higher ranking officer remarked. "Where did you discover them?"

"On the road, sir, driving a car and avoiding the infected. They tried to attract my attention and when I approached, it was just a matter of capturing them quickly before they can fight back," one of the girls shouted at him.

"You bastards! Let us go! What're ya gonna do to us, ha!?" Said the purple haired one. The other simply glared menacingly.

Chuckling evilly, the lower commanding officer asked. "Why didn't you shut their mouths?"

"It was a little too quiet by myself, sir," replied the young man. "I thought keeping their mouth open would keep me company, but they're really loud and obnoxious, especially this one," pointing to the girl who was shouting earlier.

"Ha ha, good, good. They shall make up for the two man we lost," walking towards the roof top entrance, the senior older soldier called for him. "Hurry up and report to the Commander, lad. I imagine he want to be informed of this news quickly, especially since it involves two beautiful girls," he sighed, lamenting on their fate.

"I'll be right on that, sir," saluting, the military officer ordered the two teenagers to exit the vehicle, retrieving a long object in the way.

Shoving the girls in front of him, Officer Kururugi marched forward, following the higher ranking man. "Soldier, what is that?" He asked, pointing to the object in the officer's hand.

"Ah, this, sir?" Lifting the object reveal itself to be a katana. "I found this inside these two's car, and it seems to be the whitehead's weapon," the person in question grunted at the statement. "I thoight it would be a nice souvenir to keep, and an extra equipment for when my firearm and knife is not enough."

"That's nice, lad, but make sure to keep it away from the Commander's sight," advised the senior soldier as they descended the stairs. "You know how he is, a pillager, taking anything that fancies his taste. The bastard. Just because he's the person with most power he thinks he can get away with everything. Just remember to keep your head low and you'll probably get to keep the sword, kid."

"I greatly appreciate the advice, sir!" Saluted the young man.

Soon after that, the four peoples arrived before a double door, barricaded and sealed, with two soldiers guarding at the sides. Upon noticing the man in front, they quickly saluted and greeted him. When ordered to open the door, they listened and the entrance was opened after imputing the password.

Stepping into the room, the girls saw that at the center was a long table with numerous chairs at the sides, and on six of them sat elderly but tough looking men, with one such person sitting at one end of the table, opposite from the four peoples. All around the room lay boxes and boxes of what could be food supplies, weapon caches, and atop them were firearms, grenades, parachutes, documents and bottles of water. Behind the presumed leader was a full glass wall.

"What is it that you have to bother me, Kozuki?" Spoke the man before them. "Couldn't you have asked for a better time to come?"

The young officer noticed the twitching on the senior officer's eyes and his fist clenching. "I'm sorry to bother you, Commander Sumeragi," he said as coldly as possible. "But I brought someone who have news that might interest you." He gestured at Officer Kururugi.

"Very well then, I shall hear what he have to say,. You can leave now," ordered the Commander.

"Tch," Officer Kozuki turned backwards angrily, but felt a hand on his shoulders. It was the young officer.

"Do not worry, sir. Now please, do not stay here any longer," and for that time, the elder man thought he noticed a glint on the young man's eyes, but chose not to think too much about it and followed what he was told.

Once Senior Officer Kozuki was out, Commander Sumeragi faced forward at Officer Kururugi. "So, soldier. What news do you have for me? You're part of yesterday's expedition to find more supplies, am I right?"

"Yes, sir!" Saluted the man. "Unfortunately, the mission was not a success and the other two of my crew did not make it due to us not expecting the enemy's numbers and action," the air was still as they heard the news. "But, on the other hand, sir, I managed to find and capture these two civilians," he stepped aside to show them the two females.

Rising up slowly, the Commander walked around the table, watched by the other high ranking military personnel, and stopped just in front of the young officer. Standing before the older man, Officer Kururugi held his head low and hid his face, the sword grabbed behind him.

"Nice work lad, now this is what you call a good find," exclaimed the elder man as he pat the young man on the shoulders. Next, he turned towards the girls with a grin on his face. "And they look so young too. I wonder if they've been touched before," he leered as one hand reached for the white haired girl's cheek.

"Excuse me, sir," fortunately for her, the low officer choose that moment to interrupt. "But what exactly are we going to do with them?"

"Did you forget, soldier?" Asked Commander Sumeragi before he rubbed his chin. "Oh, now I remember. You're one of those new recruits that joined us just a few months ago, I wouldn't blame you for not knowing," marching back towards the long table, he explained. "Basically, they'll be the ones comforting us, in more ways than one. You know what that means, don't you, officer?"

"I… don't think I quite understand, sir," the young man responded.

The older man sighed. "It's called Human Supplementation Plan." He shouted, much to the surprise of the two girls. "The life of a soldier is hard, and everyone need to take their part in making sure everyone stays alive. While we don't provide military training for women, that doesn't mean they don't have their uses. But since we don't find much of them, everyone have to make use of what few we got. Aside from that, they will also provide new recruits for is in the long run," the Commander turned to Kururugi. "Do you understand now, soldier?"

The young man was silent after the question, and the elder man was about to sit back and order him to take the girls to their chambers. But then he heard his voice, only this time, it's different from before.

"So, that's what their purpose are. Well, I should've expected this, since no other reasons is available," lifting his head, everyone in the room except the two girls was surprised when he suddenly revealed the sword from his back and pointed the sharp edge at the Commander.

"Officer Kururugi, what the hell are you doing!?" Shouted one of the men on the tables. "Stop this at once, or do you want to be court martialed and executed for attacking a senior officer!?"

The young man chuckled, a low sound that scares all present in the room for some reason. "I am not Officer Kururugi," taking his helmet, he revealed his face, blue eyes gazing at the military men. "My name is Kiriha Yuuta, it's a pleasure to meet you."

"Kiriha… no, it can't be," one military personnel gasped in disbelief. "You… you're the son of that blasted traitor Dr Kiriha Kenji!" He exclaimed, realization dawning on them.

"Yes… that face… those eyes… and that sword. There's no mistaking it, he is the one!" Repeated the other five peoples.

"I'm quite surprised to hear that you do know him, but it doesn't matter now, honestly," Yuuta remarked. "Kurumi, Miki, are you both alright?"

Opening each other's handcuffs, Kurumi was the one to reply. "Yeah, though, this is the last time I'm following your plan, you got it!?"

* * *

As the bullet shot out of its barrel, it only managed to travel for a short distance before embedding itself inside the flesh of an undead, who rose suddenly in front of the soldier.

Shocked at the movement, the man stepped back and kicked the being to the ground. However, the next thing he knew a shovel was swinging towards him, barely hitting his face.

Grouping back with his teammates, what they saw was Yuuta's figure holding Kurumi's shovel in his right hand and Miki's sword in the other. Pointing the blade at them, the boy proceeded to move towards the trio of soldiers, surprising them.

Responding back with a barrage of bullets, Yuuta managed to parry or dodge almost all of the bullets while his companions took cover on the other side of the RV. Closing in on the distance between them, the blue eyes boy tried again swinging the shovel towards the soldiers, who blocked it with their firearm. Pointing the barrel at pointblank range, it was parried aside and countered with a strike on the stomach by the sword's hilt. One of them collapsed not after receiving the strike, but after being uppercuted too.

One down, two to go; the next soldier took out his side knife and lunged forward, aiming the tip at Yuuta's chest. It should have made contact, if not for the shovel blocking it. Leaning to the side to let the blade go, he quickly and swiftly chopped the back of the soldier's neck, knocking him out… maybe permanently.

From behind him, the last soldier dual wielded both his gun and knife, sneaking an attack at Yuuta. Sensing the presence, he crossed the shovel and sword in an x-shape across her chest. However, he didn't expect that the firearm would aim straight at his head with the knife going at his abdomen. Definitely not quick enough to dodge this one, the boy closed his dual weapons to somehow try to block the bullet.

Of course, turned out he didn't need to do that as, from the side, Shuuya came and punched the guy on his face hard that he was thrown away several meters. Thanking the redhead for the save, the ravenette threw the shovel at the soldier's direction, hitting his face spot on and caused him to pay on the ground, bleeding and bruised on the face.

"Whew, that was dangerous, don't you think, Shuuya?" Commented Yuuta on the fight.

"Yes, yes it was, Kiriha. We should be more careful about other peoples now, it seems," Shuuya replied. Behind them, the girls ran towards the two.

"Shuuya-kun, Yuuta-kun, are the both of you alright?" Yuuri asked concerned.

"That was really great, senpai, both of you," Miki complimented. "Though I wonder how you know fighting with my sword."

Ignoring the underclassman's remark, Kurumi strode in and snatched her shovel possesively. "Hey, watch what you're doing with this thing! When did I ever gave you permission to touch this?"

Yuuta sweatdropped at the ungrateful comment. "If Maki is here she would provide some really snarky comment at this moment," then, he felt a tug on his shirt. Turning to the side, it was Yuki.

"Yuu-kun, you're injured," the pink haired girl stated. True enough, there were cuts and holes on Yuuta's clothes, as well as blood coming from them.

"I didn't notice them," the boy checked his attire, only feeling a slight pain at the movement of his limbs. "Don't worry, Yuki. This much is nothing to worry about," he smiled at his wife.

"Okay then," the girl pulled off her hands, though still not convinced that her partner is fully fine. "But at least, change your clothes."

Patting her on the head, Yuuta chuckled. "Don't worry, it's not as though I'll wear a torn attire like this without changing. I'll find some clothes later."

"But first," Shuuya spoke out. "What should we do with them?" He pointed at the three army men laying down unconscious on the road.

"Well, perhaps we can use the copter to move around?" Suggested Kurumi. "That way we can move to where we want faster."

Miki shook her head. "That won't do, senpai. The quantity of fuel used is more than what we use for the RV, and we don't have much of it as we are right now. We can always take their weapons though, but I don't think any of us know how to use them properly, and no, just because you have ecperiencvin shooting games does not mean you know how to handle the real thing."

Kurumi pouted at being shot down without being heard first, and crossed her arms angrily. Yuuri, chuckling at the sight, questioned again. "So, what are we going to do? Yuuta-kun?"

"Well, these men, if they're really from the army and have a working copter, doesn't that mean that there's an active military base around here?" The others nodded. "Well, I've got an interesting idea, though I don't think some of you are gonna like it."

"Just shoot it away, we'll hear what you have to say first before shooting it down," Kurumi said.

Nodding at the permission, Yuuta explained. "Well, it goes like this…"

* * *

"Seriously, infiltrating a military base and office to get information is crazy enough, but do you have to include us as bait?" Shouted Kurumi, her hands and Miki's now free. "Those handcuffs kind of hurt, you know?"

"Kurumi-senpai, Yuuta-senpai was once similarly handcuffed like that, don't you remember?" Miki reminded her of the memory where he was infected while they're still at the school.

The purple haired girl rubbed her head embarrassedly. "Oh yeah, forget about that. He he."

"You two, focus. If we want to get out of this situation alive we've got to act fast as smart," the boy voiced out. "Miki, try to find any important information in those documents," the whitehead nodded and set about towards the pile of files. "Kurumi, stand by the door and listen for any weird movements from the other side."

"Heh, you can count on me!" She saluted playfully and grabbed a gun before pressing her ear on the double door.

Returning his gaze back towards the six men currently with them in the room, Yuuta stepped forward while still holding the sword, forcing Commander Sumeragi to retreat back to the table. Sitting down on a chair, the elder man stared at the young male and asked a question. "What do you want, boy?"

Not breaking his gaze, he answered. "Nothing. I just want to protect my friends, and put a stop to this apocalypse, that is all."

One of the men snorted at the statement. "This coming from the son of the one who let hell break loose on us? Such irony… if it is true. You should stop joking around, kid."

"I am not joking around," Yuuta denied the accusation, his voice sterner this time. "I do not care what my damned father did, but I'm different and I'm going to do what I want in my own way."

"Heh, we should have ordered to have you outright killed all those years ago, that way we wouldn't have to deal with you standing before us right now," muttered the Commander. "Curse the Kiriha family for having that protection."

"What do you mean-" the black haired boy was about to ask before Kurumi shouted at him.

"Yuuta, we've got to go now! They're suspicious of the situation in the room right now and preparing to break down the door!" She pointed the gun nervously at the entrance.

Yuuta clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Miki, did you find anything useful yet?" He asked the underclassman.

"Not yet, senpai!" Came the reply. There's a bunch of papers here that I've got to sift through first."

"Just grab what you can, we don't have enough time now!" yelled Yuuta. "Kurumi, ready yourself!"

Just as he said those words, the door was suddenly thrown open and numerous soldiers began to enter. "Kurumi!" The black haired boy shouted again.

Then, two piece of object was thrown into the air. The soldiers reacted and shot the objects down, but was blasted with a cloud of white substance covering the room.

When the flour cloud subsides a few moments after, the army men opened their eyes to see Kurumi, Yuuta and Miki standing in front of the glass window with a parachute bag strapped to their back. Smirking, the boy effortlessly shattered the glass with one stab of his sword.

Gulping in fear, the two girls began to doubt their confidence at jumping from a tall building several stories high. But, with the other option being shot and possibly other undesirable things, they took one deep breath before stepping out of the window frame, screaming all the way.

Grinning menacingly, Yuuta spoke one line, "Good bye, suckers," before letting his body fall backwards and throwing a small object into the room. Falling through the air, the boy laughed madly as the room where he was before exploded and burst to flames.

After several seconds, he finally stopped being crazy and flipped over, opening his parachute and moving closer to the other two girls.

"Kurumi-senpai, can you see them?" Asked Miki, in her hands several stacks of papers.

"Hmm…" Kurumi squinted her eyes and scanned the ground. Then, she answered. "Yeah, I see them! They're that way!" She pointed northwest from their position.

"That's great. So, how far are they?" Questioned Yuuta, joining the conversation.

"Oh, not that far. Just a couple hundred of meters at most," the purple haired girl turned to the boy. "You know, if we used the copter we would reach them faster."

"How did you even know how to operate one anyway, Yuuta-senpai?" Miki stared at her male upperclassman.

Yuuta muttered monotonously. "Well, there is this manual… and I read it. It's as simple as that."

Kurumi and Miki looked at him in disbelief, but ultimately added it as one of the things that makes him mysterious. The three then moved slowly with the wind, going to the position where their other friends were waiting.

It took several minutes before Yuuta, Kurumi and Miki set their feet back on the ground. It took several more minutes for them to walk towards the RV. Arriving before it, Miki knocked on the door.

Opening the door was Yuki, who proceeded to lunge at the whitehead. "Mii-kun, I was so worried about you all. Are all of you alright?" She asked, a worried frown on her face.

"We're all okay, senpai," replied Miki, pushing the pinkhead from her face. "You don't have to be so worried."

"That's not true at all, Miki-san," standing at the doorway was Yuuri, Shuuya behind her. "We have every reason to be worried, what's with the three of you going to a military base, where there could be many dangerous peoples with guns, explosives and weapons," she took a deep breath. "Are you sure all of you are not hurt in any way?" The girl asked more gently.

"Calm down Ri-san, we're just fine," Kurumi answered, before adding with a snort. "Well, physically at least."

"Did you find anything there?" Shuuya asked.

Scratching his neck, Yuuta answered. "Well, if by anything you mean more peoples and weapons, then we did find many of those. It's a military base after all, though the reason on why they would use a skyscraper instead of a normal land base escaped me."

"I imagine it's to gain the high ground, figuratively speaking," remarked Miki. "Here, hold this, senpai," she handed over the documents in her hands at Yuuta.

"So, did you meet other peoples, Yuu-kun?" Said Yuki.

Kurumi nodded. "That's right, though I think there's less of them now, thanks to this crazy guy," the girl lightly tapped Yuuta's head with her hand. "But they're unpleasant anyway, similar to those we encountered earlier, so I don't regret it that much," she turned to the boy. "But, you're really not acting like a standard hero or knight, you know?"

"You only realized it now?" Yuuta smiled amusingly. "Pushing that matter aside, why don't we get inside first? It's supposed to be dangerous standing outside for too long, right?" He suggested.

"That's a good idea, hurry and come inside," urged Yuuri. "We'll talk more later, during lunch." With that, the members entered the RV and sat on the table, Miki casting one final look at the building they escaped from in the distance at the doorway.

'I wonder what would happen if things were different, if we didn't meet Yuuta-senpai, if we went to the College first and Randall Corporation later, if we went with different members, and if I'm not skilled in fighting,' the white haired girl landed her eyes on the undeads several blocks away from her. 'But most importantly, I wonder what will happen if all of this didn't happen; Kei would still be alive, no one would have act hard just to survive, humanity would went around with its business like normal, and the world would still be a nice place to live on. But then, Yuki-senpai wouldn't have met Yuuta-senpai, I wouldn't have gain an unforgettable experience and precious companions, my life would certainly be boring and normal, and finally, I wouldn't have been close with Taroumaru and the others. Though, Shuuya-san would certainly meet Ri-san sooner or later.'

"Miki, what are you doing there?" The girl heard Kurumi's voice calling for her. "Hurry up and close the door."

"Yes, senpai," and with that, Miki closed the door and joined her upperclassmen on the table, waiting for lunch.

* * *

Far away, in possibly another universe, a certain white haired girl woke up from her sleep and wondered if the brief dream she saw was real. She ultimately decided she doesn't know and went back under the covers inside her room.


	22. Chapter 22: Shock and Surprise

Chapter 22 - Shock and Surprise

"Nothing much here, it seems."

Kurumi commented on the condition of the store they're inside currently, brushing her fingers on several utensils still lined on the racks.

"You're right, senpai. But at least we found some packets of balloons that Yuki-senpai asks of us," Miki said, the aforementioned items in her hand while her sword in the other. "I don't know what she wants to do with them, and I'm more concerned with her feeling sick this morning."

Peeking at a dark corner, Kurumi replied. "Yeah, it does seem really bad looking at her. I wonder how she got sick in the first place; definitely not from Ri-san's cooking that's for sure," she spotted something moving in the darkness and gestured for Miki to come closer.

"Do you think that she's been… infected by the virus?" Whispered the white haired girl, her sword out and ready for use.

Stepping forward slowly and cautiously, Kurumi turned to Miki and put her finger on her lips, signalling her to be quiet. In front, she could vaguely see two figures in the aisle, doing nothing but standing around. Suddenly rushing in, the purple haired girl quickly banged one of the figure's head with her shovel, bringing it down to the floor. When the other one noticed the attack, it was met with a swift slash at the neck and its head rolled on the ground soon.

Feeling a bit queasy at the sight, Miki averted her gaze from the two undeads, even though there's not much blood at the scene. As for Kurumi, she just shrugged it off and not-so-reluctantly separated the head of the other undead from its body with her shovel.

Finishing the job, the older of the two went to the next aisle and followed by Miki. "As for your question earlier, I can't say I disagree with it but I don't know if I want to accept it either. It's best to just not think of that kind of stuff now, especially when the cause could be something else," spoke Kurumi about her thoughts on the matter.

"What other possibilities remain if we don't include the chance that she might get infected then?" Miki asked.

"Hmm…" the twintailed girl put her hand on her chin and appears to be thinking hard about the subject. "Well, there is the possible explanation that she might be… nah, that's ridiculous. There's no way that is true."

"What are you talking about, senpai?" The short hairs girl inquired confusedly.

Kurumi shook her head. "Nothing, nothing. I just thought up something ridiculous, no need to worry yourself," the other girl nodded reluctantly. "On an unrelated note, do you ever think that we've been overly dependant on Yuuta, and Shuuya-san to a lesser extent?"

"I understand why you think like that, senpai, since they are guys and they do took a more active role in fighting while we, excluding you, are generally not in the condition and type to fight," answered Miki, walking beside Kurumi. "And yes, I do think that we are being overly dependant on the two of them, especially Yuuta-senpai. Even though I believe we would've still be fine if we didn't meet him, we would probably not escape from many situations unharmed if not for him taking the metaphorical and figurative bullet."

"Granted, we got into those kinds of situations because of him anyway," Kurumi remarked. "If it were just us, there's no doubt that we would try to avoid danger and not crazily pursue it, like what Yuuta did a few days back," ranted the girl.

Picking a misplaced notebook in the snacks corner, Miki flipped the pages. "I agree with you, senpai. But it's also because of his and our actions that we get much more information than we would have had if we stayed silent and neutral. Though sometimes I do wonder, what would happen if we never met him, or alternatively, what would happen if he's gone from our lives right now."

"Shh!" Kurumi hissed loudly. "Don't talk like that, it's bad luck I tell you, and never ever mention those thoughts in front of Yuki; getting her sad is the least thing that I want to do."

"I'm not stupid, senpai," the whitehead chuckled, putting the notebook under her arms. "I'm not like you."

The last statement irked Kurumi slightly. "Are you saying that I'm dumb or something?" The giggle from Miki only irritated her further. "Well, let me tell you that I do not survive this far because I'm not clever. I'm quite smart and I use it whenever it's necessary," she exclaimed.

"Hai hai," Miki nodded with a smile. "Let's just finish our trip and get back to the RV. Shuuya-senpai, Yuuri-senpai and Yuki-senpai must be worried if we don't come back quickly."

Kurumi calmed down at the mention. "Yeah, though what I worry more is the fact that Yuuta goes outside alone without any company. I mean, I know that there's probably something about him prevents him from being noticed or attacked, and he's pretty good at fighting too, but we've got too stick together as a team and not solo if we want to survive in this world," she commented.

"That said, he does have experience travelling alone, doesn't he?" Said Miki. The upperclassman didn't answer and she went to checking the rows of stuffs again. Her hand then touched something. "Kurumi-senpai, do we need another medical kit?"

Kurumi turned to face Miki. "It doesn't hurt to have one more. Is it the only one left?" Her underclassman nodded. "Figures, we're lucky that there's still one anyway. Try checking the contents."

The white haired girl clicked the box open and scanned the insides. There's not much actually. "It seems we're not that lucky, senpai," she spoke. "The antibiotics are gone, there's only a small roll of bandages, several other things are missing, and the only untouched item is the cotton roll."

"Hah… that's better than none," sighed Kurumi. "We just have to make do with those. But, just to be sure, let's check the shop for other medical stuffs. It's worth a shot." Walking to another part of the store, Miki followed Kurumi as they searched the space for any other usable equipments they can bring back.

* * *

Half an hour later, they are finished with their scavenge and were now just outside the store, hiding behind an upturned car. In Miki's hands the items they've found. Looking left and right, Kurumi waited for the moment when the undeads are not looking at their general direction. Once the moment came, she quickly sprang from their hide spot to another location, this time an upturned truck. Miki hastily moved behind her.

This pattern repeated itself two or three more times before Miki began another conversation. "Kurumi-senpai."

"What?" The older girl asked, eyes locked on to their surroundings.

"Have you ever thought of finding a life partner when all of this is over?" Said Miki.

"A life partner… you mean like Yuuta, Yuki and Shuuya-san, Ri-san? That kind of partner?" Kurumi inquired.

The short haired girl stared upwards. "Yes, that kind of partner," she confirmed. "Do you ever want that after we're all safe and no more in danger, somewhere in the future?"

"Nope," Kurumi gave her answer, short and quick.

This surprised Miki obviously. "W-Why? Don't you want to find someone like that, someone whom you want to spend your life with?"

"I have found someone like that before," replied Kurumi, her voice low and melancholic. "But, now that he's gone, I done want to experience that heartbreaking sorrow anymore. That's not to say that I forbid anyone else from having that kind of relationship, just… I don't believe in happily ever after endings anymore. I'd like to think that it's because I've matured a bit. He he," she giggled.

"I see…" Miki muttered. "It's a shame though, you're very pretty and friendly, so many guys must've had crushes on you back at school."

Hearing those opinions, Kurumi blushed and chuckled. "That may be true, but they're never that serious anyway, at least not as much as Yuuta towards Yuki. And also," the purple haired girl slung one arm over Miki's neck. "I've got you, and Ri-san, Yuki, Shuuya-san and Yuuta with me right now, I don't need other peoples. Well, I'd be grateful if the others at the college joined us, but you can't have everything in this world all at once, am I right?" Grinned the girl.

A shade of red appeared on Miki's cheeks at the words, and she looked away embarrassedly. "Yes, but the way you said it is embarrassing, Kurumi-senpai."

"Hahaha, you're bothered by it, huh? Sorry sorry," the upperclassman playfully rubbed Miki's head, increasing her blush even more. "But still, I don't mind living the rest of my life with you by my side, what d'you say?"

"Mou, you're embarrassing, senpai!" The white haired girl exclaimed exasperatedly. "Let's just get back already!" She moved on behind another car.

"Gihihihi, she's cute like this," said Kurumi before following Miki. The rest of the journey back continued easily without any trouble.

* * *

"We're back," the door to the RV opened, and in came Kurumi and Miki who just returned from their trip to the nearby store. Greeting them was Yuuri.

"Welcome back, are the two of you alright?" The brunette asked .

The purple haired girl sat on the couch and placed her shovel on the table. "Yeah, we're fine. There's not much problem in the first place."

"Here you go, Yuuri-senpai," Miki gave the medical kit to Yuuri. "We thought it might be useful."

Accepting the box, Yuuri smiled at her. "Thank you, Miki-san. I'm glad you remembered about our health," she then walked over to the back and inspected the items inside.

"Yo," from the table, resting his head on one hand while reading a manga, Yuuta greeted the two returnees. "I was expecting you to come back early, Miki." He yawned and flipped a page lazily.

"You did?" Miki asked.

"Yeah, these papers aren't gonna organize themselves, you know," the boy pointed to the large sheet of papers on the couch in front of him. "There's still some pages that need organizing, so, if you don't mind…"

"I'll get right to it," the younger girl replied with a sigh, sitting on the couch and bringing the stack onto the table.

"Hey, where's Shuuya-san by the way?" Spoke Kurumi while cleaning her shovel.

Gesturing at the upper bunk, Kurumi's gaze followed Yuuta's fingers and saw the redhead boy sleeping on the bed. "That's surprising, for him to sleep at this time of the day." She remarked.

"He's just tired after driving through the entire night," Yuuta replied. "I'm sleepy too, you know, since I'm the only one awake with him."

"You can lie down too if you want," Kurumi said. "No one's stopping you."

Yawning widely, the black haired boy replied. "Yeah, I would like to do that, but I can still keep myself awake at the moment. After all, I don't want to know what other methods you all would use to wake me up again," weakly, he chuckled.

"Well, sorry about that, but you're lucky we didn't draw anything on your face."

"You're all lucky I didn't draw anything on your face," Yuuta countered.

"Where's Yuki-senpai?" Miki interrupted the two's conversation.

"There," Yuuta once again pointed at the bed, this time at the lower half where there's a blanket covering a human shaped figure. "She was sleeping when I returned so I didn't wake her up."

"Hmm… is she still feeling unwell?" The underclassman asked as she noticed Yuuri coming to Yuki's bedside.

The club president nodded. "Yes, but I don't feel she got a fever or anything serious. I have a guess at what's happening, but I'd like to be certain first before I draw the conclusion," answered Yuuri. Putting a hand on the pinkhead's body, she shook it to wake the girl up. "Yuki-chan, could you wake up for a moment please?"

"Waaahh… what time is it?" Yuki woke up and asked groggily. Rubbing her eyes, she saw Yuuri beside her. "Ri-san, what is it?" She drawled, still sleepy.

Yuuri took out an item from her pocket and placed it in the girl's hand. "I'd like you to use this. Just follow the instruction and hand me the thing after you're finished," instructed her.

"Ymm… the last time someone said that to me, Yuu-kun got really angry and I have to calm him down," said Yuki. "Are you sure there will be no problem if I listen to you, Ri-san?"

The brown haired girl seemed confused at the statement for a second, but regained her composure to answer. "Nothing bad will happen, I guarantee you, Yuki-chan. Just follow what the box said and inform me of the results. Then, you can go back to sleep, or, we can play properly with these balloons that Miki-san and Kurumi brought back."

"Yeah, I'll do it," standing up from the bed, Yuki read the box for a moment before her eyes opened wide. Blushing from ear to ear, she headed straight to the toilet.

"What did you gave her, Ri-san?" Kurumi questioned at seeing the scene.

The brunette just gave her a smile and a wink. "You'll see."

After about five minutes or so, the door to the toilet opened, revealing a very red faced Yuki looking downwards, hands holding the edges of her skirt. Walking awkwardly towards Yuuri, she gave her the item from before.

Receiving the thing, the club president's eyes opened in surprise and she gasped in shock; you could see a flash of lighting behind her. Closing her eyes once again, Yuuri went over to the table where Yuuta and Miki were sitting at.

"Yuuta-kun, we've got to talk," spoke the brown haired girl, her expression serious and voice stern.

"Waaahh… I'm listening," contrast to that, Yuuta replied with a sleepy yawn, eyes still boringly on the manga's pages.

Taking a deep breath in preparation for the news, Yuuri stared straight at the boy. "Yuki-chan, she's… she's… she's…"

"What about her?" Miki was the one who asked worriedly.

"She's pregnant."

There was a still silent in the air when Yuuri uttered those two words. Kurumi and Miki had mouths wide open in disbelief, Yuki twiddled her gingers behind Yuuri, who looked for any reaction from Yuuta.

"Oh, is that it?" The blue eyes boy said nonchalantly as he flipped another page. It took another good five seconds before his brain processed what the words meant, and once he realized that, several things happened in quick succession. He brought down his head hard on the table's surface, ripping the book he's holding in two, colliding his face with the window at his left till it cracked slightly, and turning his head so quickly to face Yuuri before exclaiming, "WHAT!?", shaking the vehicle and causing Shuuya to wake up from his slumber.

"It's just like I said; Yuki-chan's pregnant," repeated Yuuri. "This is the proof," she shoved the item in her hand to Yuuta's face, a pregnancy test where it clearly showed two bars at the indicator screen.

Yuuta took the item and stared unbelievingly at it, then to Yuuri's face, then to the item, and back to Yuuri's face back and forth. "B-B-But, that can't be possible!" He spoke. "We've only done it for about…" counting on his fingers, his voice lowered. "…seven times. Okay, that seems reasonable. And I know we didn't use any protection, but certainly, it can't be this easy for her to be pregnant already!"

"Y-Yuu-kun…" Yuki's soft voice brought Yuuta's attention to her. "Sorry, I didn't think it would be like this. D-Do you not want to have a child with me?" She stared with pink eyes full of uncertainty and anxiousness.

"Yeah, Yuuta. Take responsibility for your actions, and accept them," commented Kurumi, pointing her shovel menacingly at the boy. "Or else, I'll make you."

"She's right," Miki spoke, arms folded over her chest. "Are you trying to reject the reality of the situation, senpai? That's really cowardly and unlike you."

With a sigh, the guy in question answered. "It's not like I'm trying to deny the facts, but I'm just surprised at this development. You'll act like that too if you suddenly heard a news like this," he defended himself. "But, just to look from another person's perspective, I'll ask Shuuya for his opinion. Shuuya, what would you if you're in my position right now?" Yuuta turned to his friend who just climbed down from the bed.

"What, me?" Shuuya questioned. His friend nodded. "Well, first I would calm myself down, confirm the situation accurately, accept it if it's correct, take responsibility, and embrace her lovingly," answered the redhead. "Or at least that what Sakaki-san said he would do; I just copied from him."

"And that's what I shall do," Yuuta exclaimed before putting her arms around the still flustered Yuki and hugging her, lifting her body slightly from the floor. Then, he kissed her cheek gently, and softly uttered, "Congratulations to us."

"Yuu…kun?" Muttered the pinkhead upon seeing small tears at the corner of her partner's eyes.

"I'm just glad… and happy," he said. "Not only for me, but also for you, and for us. It's wonderful."

"Yes," hearing those words, Yuki rubbed their cheeks together. "I'm happy too."

Seeing the couple happy in each other's arms, the rest smiled at them. Kurumi grinned widely next to a teary eyed Miki, and Shuuya placed his hand on Yuuri shoulder, and they briefly exchanged knowing looks at each other.

Finally separating from their embrace, Yuuta turned to Yuuri. "Just to be sure, Ri-san. The test is working fine, right?"

"Yes, Yuuta-kun. There's nothing broken with it, you can be sure of that," the brown haired girl answered.

"Good, so the feeling I sensed inside Yuki is not wrong," he replied.

"Hey, you know what this means?" Kurumi voiced out. "This calls for a celebration!"

And a celebration it was decided. In the small space inside the RV, preparation was made for the party. Yuuri cooked the best meal she could make from the ingredients, Shuuya and Miki decorated the ceilings with what little decoration they could make, Kurumi inflated the balloons that she and Miki brought earlier, scattering them on the floor and the table.

When night came, the congratulations party began and everyone(that is, four peoples) cheered for Yuuta and Yuki and hoped for a healthy child. It was loud, and the six of them having fun together, cheering each other up and began to see a hope in the world in the unborn child.

* * *

It was midnight, and the party finally died down, with everyone falling asleep except for Miki who was(unluckily) chosen to clean the mess and the celebrated couple, Yuuta and Yuki, who's currently on the roof of the RV, looking at the stars and feeling the night's cold wind.

Sitting beside each other, the two sat in silence and peace, just enjoying their partner's company and embrace. Yuki leaned her head on Yuuta's shoulder, seemingly drifting to sleep.

"Yuki," the blue eyes boy poked her wife in the cheek playfully several times, trying to keep her from passing out. It worked, and the girl rubbed her eyes.

"What…" said Yuki, before noticing Yuuta's smile. "What?" She said again, which prompted a chuckle from the boy. "What, what!? Is there something on my face or my hair?" The pinkhead demanded.

Stopping his chuckle, Yuuta patted Yuki's head, her cat ears hat absent, allowing him to mess her hair even further, much to the girl's protest. "Nothing, just thinking of how grateful I am that you're here with me," he answered, staring back at the starry sky. "And now we may be having a child. And to think we met again just a few months ago during the beginning of summer, it all seems to be moving so fast."

"I know, but I'm thankful that it all happened," said Yuki. "Many sad things happened so far, but there's also many good moments, and I'm sure it will continue to be so after this," she touched her stomach. "Because of our child."

"Yeah," Yuuta agreed. Then, he lowered his head so that it landed on Yuki's laps, surprising the girl.

"Eh!? Yuu-kun? What are you doing?" She exclaimed, flustered.

"I'm just resting my head here, next to the child," he lightly rubbed his head on the spot. "Emm, this is comfortable. I think I'm gonna sleep like this."

"No, Yuu-kun. You can't do that!" Yuki chastised and tried to remove him from her legs, unsuccessfully. "It's cold out here, and you're heavy," she shook the boy's body.

"I'm kidding, of course," Yuuta said. "Just let me be here for a while. It's been a surprising day for me."

"Yes, it is for me and everyone, too," muttered Yuki. The peace and quiet remained until a loud voice destroyed the illusion of silence.

"Yuuta-senpai! Quick, you've got to see this!" That was Miki's voice coming from below. Yuuta hastily rise from his position and climbed down into the RV.

"What is it, Miki!?" Asked him. It seems that the other members have also been awakened by the voice. "Did you find something!?"

A piece of document was then shoved at Yuuta's face. "Look at this, senpai. I found it among the papers. Read it," she practically pushed it onto the boy's stomach.

"What's in it?" Yuuta accepted the document and flipped the pages, reading only bits and few of what's inside.

"Here, look here!" Miki took the papers and quickly opened the page that she wanted to show. "This!" What was on the page is a picture of what seemed to be a nuclear research facility, if the name is to be believed, and a map showing how to get to the place. However, the next pages have details on what makes the facility so important.

"'Virus Release Point'" Yuuta read the purpose. "That means it's the…"

"The zeropoint of the plague," Shuuya continued. "If that is true, then…"

"Then we can stop the the facility from releasing more virus," Miki exclaimed. "It may not return those infected to normal, but we can at least prevent other people from falling victim to the aerial infection. For the…"

"For the future," Yuuri finished. Miki nodded, and brought out another map.

"And the place corresponds to one of the locations that Shiiko-san provided us. It must be true," she pointed at the facility's location on the map. "The place is a few days journey from here, bit I think we'll manage if we set out early. What do you guys think?" She look around her.

"I say we go there," Kurumi was the first to voice her opinion. "If there's a chance that less people will be infected, then I'm all for it. After all, doesn't it seem unbelievable that we'll be the one to save this world from the invasion of the force of darkness? Hey, this seems similar to your ancestor's tale, Yuuta."

"Yes, and it's my family's responsibility to guard the world so that the virus doesn't escape. My father broke the chain, but I will not do the same. I'll make sure to return everything to normal and save everyone," Yuuta spoke with determination.

"If Kiriha's all set to go there, then I will follow him," said Shuuya. "Also, so that my sister will not be in any danger anymore. What about you, Yuuri-san?"

"I'm slightly worried at the idea of going to the place," Yuuri voiced her concern. "But, you all would still go no matter what I said, isn't it?" The others chuckled guiltily at the accusation. "That's why, I permit it."

Suddenly, Yuki hugged Yuuta and raised her arm into the air. "Yes, let's go and save the world! We're the Six Saviours! Let's a go!"

"Everyone in agreement, then?" Yuuta asked, in which the other five nodded. "Very well, we'll depart… tomorrow. Let's catch some hours of sleep first."

And with that, everyone went to their respective sleeping place except, of course, Yuuta, who settled on climbing back up to the RV's roof with a blanket and his sword.

Lying down on the rooftop, the blue eyes boy covered his body with the blanket and closed his eyes, ready to sleep. Clutching Tamashiha over his chest, he wondered what would his unborn child look like, whether it would be a boy or a girl. Probably the former, he guessed, but would he look like him? That's a question to think over later.

Regardless, with a smile on his face, he drifted off to slumber, accompanied by the sounds of the night wind, insects chirping and the distant growls of the undead.

In his dream, he saw a man who looks just like him but with black eyes, holding Tamashiha, and beside him, a silver haired girl with his blue eyes.


	23. Chapter 23: Names, Facility and…

Chapter 23 - Names, Facility and…

"Hey, d'you think this is really safe?"

The question was asked by Kurumi, her eyes looking boringly outside of the window towards the road where the undeads are milling around.

"Why are you asking, senpai?" Miki said, looking up from the book she's reading.

"I mean, that facility we're going to is what's producing the virus, right?" The white haired underclassman nodded. "So, by going there, won't the concentration of the virus in the air increase and we'll be more likely to be infected too? Not that I wanted to, but there's the possibility."

Miki mulled over the thought before replying. "While that certainly a possible situation, I don't think we have to worry much, at least for now." She closed her book. "For us to still be healthy this far, there's certainly an immunity against the airborne version of the virus inside our body. As long as the strain didn't mutated yet, we're still safe, as long as we avoid direct fluid contact with the virus, of course," the girl finished her explanation.

"Heh… I didn't know that," Kurumi responded. "I was just worried a bit, since everyone's been acting carefree these past few days."

Giggling, Miki answered. "That's a given, we're all still a little excited about Yuki-senpai's pregnancy. Are you not, Kurumi-senpai?" She asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say that," the purple haired girl scratched her cheek. "But it's still unbelievable to think of, especially since it's Yuki we're talking about here."

"Yes, I know what you mean, Kurumi," a voice joined their conversation. "It's nice to think of though, don't you think?" Yuuri said.

"Ri-san," the two greeted her. "You're done being in Shuuya-san's company?" Hiding her mouth behind her hand, Kurumi smirked.

The brown haired girl blushed but kept her composure. "That's not necessary to talk of," she crossed her arms before calming down and sitting beside Miki. "But truly, isn't it nice that we would have another new member in a few months?"

"I think you're thinking too wishfully, Ri-san," from the table beside the three, Yuuta, just awake from a light nap, remarked. "We're not sure when or if the child will be born after all."

"You're saying as if you're not entirely happy about this, senpai," Miki commented. "Perhaps, you don't actually want one?" She stared at him.

The black haired boy sweated profusely when he felt an intimidating aura beside him. He hastily answered. "O-Of course not. It's just… a remark! Yeah, that's it, just a remark, nothing more. Someone got of say it one of these days. I, personally, do want a healthy and good child, as every other normal person do," the scary pressure lessened and Yuuta breathed in relief. "Are your mood swings starting already, Yuki?"

"Hmm, what are you talking about?" The pinkhead replied, tilting her head.

"Nothing, I'll just take that as a no for now," sighed Yuuta. "Shuuya, how much longer is the trip?"

From in front of the RV, the redhead answered. "One or two more hours more, Kiriha!"

"Thanks!"

"Hey hey," Kurumi's voice took everyone's attention. "I've got an idea of what to do while we're waiting to arrive," Yuuta raised his eyebrow. "Let's try to come up with a name for your child!" She exclaimed.

A second later, Yuuri clapped her hands together. "My my, that's a good idea, Kurumi. Let's do it!"

"Kurumi-senpai, I thought you we're complaining about the atmosphere being carefree just a while ago," Miki looked slant-eyed at her purple haired upperclassman.

"Eh, it's fine for a while," Kurumi grinned. "What d'you say?"

"Well…"

"Sure, that's a nice idea, Kurumi-chan!" Yuki answered for her and Yuuta's behalf. "Right, Yuu-kun~?"

The blue eyes boy sighed again. "I'm just reminding you all, we don't even know wheter it's going to be a boy or a girl… though my instincts say that it'll probably be a boy. Don't know why."

"Let's start with you, Yuki-chan," Yuuri began. "What do you want to name him or her?"

"Fuyuka-chan!" The pinkhead exclaimed.

The others stared at her in disappointment. "Really, Yuki? Winter? Did you even think at all before saying that?" Commented Kurumi.

"Senpai, I know your name means snow but you could at least think up of another not to obvious name," Miki remarked.

"Eh, I think it's a good enough name," Yuuta agreed, surprising Miki, Kurumi and Yuuri. "If it's a girl, then I don't mind that name." Miki grumbled something about 'simple and lazy minds' before the boy spoke to her next. "What about you, Miki?"

The white haired girl gazed at the book in hands before replying. "Shiro if it's a boy and Mashiro if it's a girl," she spoke confidently.

"White, eh?" Kurumi looked at Miki from waist to her hair. "I wonder where that came from, hmm?" She smirked. The underclassman blushed at the stare.

"I may be inclined to use that if they somehow have white hair as you, though I'm not hoping much," Miki nodded embarrassedly at Yuuta's words. "Kurumi, yours?"

Kurumi lifted her chest proudly at her turn. "Of course, he should be named Hiro, and become a man according to his name! A courageous and brave hero who would save everyone," the girl laughed while posing Sentai-style. "I'm joking by the way, I don't have any good names to think about, actually," she admitted. "But, the name Kuroko sounds normal enough, or perhaps Kokoro." Added her.

"Kuroko; if it's a boy then I'll teach him basketball but if it's a girl I'll send her to a city with a good academy, if there's any in the future," Yuuta said.

"Kokoro-chan sounds nice," remarked Yuki.

Hearing the two's opinions, Kurumi lifted her head higher in pride. "What would you name them, Ri-san?" She passed the question to Yuuri.

"A name like Kaen or Homura sounds strong," the brown haired girl commented. "And Tsubasa or Madoka seems like a good name for a kind person," she smiled. "What about you, Shuuya-kun? What's your opinion?"

The redhead doesn't break his gaze from the road in front but replied nonetheless. "Akane, or Chikara are good names, yes?"

"Akane I can agree with, but Chikara doesn't seem so right," said Yuuta. "I never heard of a person with a name like that."

"Is that so, I'm sorry then."

"No worries, this is an open discussion after all," the black haired boy turned to his companions. "Any more names, everyone"

"Sora-chan!"

"Riku."

"Amuro!"

"Touwa-kun?"

"Tadakuni."

"Sera-chan!"

"Hikari." Kurumi grinned at Miki's choice.

"Kouta!"

"Mitsuha?"

"Kaito."

"Fubuki-chan!" Again, everyone stared disbelievingly at Yuki.

"Hanako."

"Hisao!"

"Mamoru-kun?"

"Saito. That's the name of one of our classmates."

"Keiko-chan!"

"Shirou." A grimace formed on Kurumi's face at Miki's word.

"Rin!"

"Suguha-chan?"

"Rai."

"Hmm… Yuuki-chan!"

"Shino."

"Yamato!"

"Nadeshiko?"

"Eiyu."

"Yui-chan!"

"Sei."

"Tsurube!"

"Takeru-kun?"

"Muu."

"Konata-chan!"

"Mochizou."

"Kabetsu!"

"Akio-kun?"

"Kajime."

"Nanoha-chan!"

"Tamako."

"Niji!"

"Sakura-chan?"

"Masao."

"Mina-chan?"

"Wait," Yuuta halted the name-giving. "Mina is the name of my Mom, so it might be a problem if it's also the name of her grandchild," he informed. "Anyway, I'm sure we'll find a good name among those you all just mentioned." And with that, the session ended.

Looking at Miki, Kurumi opened her mouth. "Hey, Miki," the underclassman moved her head a bit in recognition. "You okay? You've been staring at the outside for some time now, and some of the names you gave are really so obviously related to you."

Yuuri nodded. "Kurumi-san's right. Is there something troubling you, Miki-san?"

"Ah, no no," the younger girl straightened her back and shook her head… before sighing. "Actually, there is. I've been noticing for a while now, that the number of undeads around us is very steadily increasing as we move forward," there's a pause as she picked her book and placed it on her lap. "I'm worried, that's all."

"Ah, now that you've mentioned it, there really are more of them around us right now," Yuuta remarked, before the RV suddenly stopped.

"Ah! What's the matter, Shuuya-kun?" Asked Yuuri at the surprise action.

Shuuya stepped from the driver's seat and went to the back. "I'm sorry, everyone, but… I'm afraid we can't advance anymore than this," he spoke.

"What do you mean?" Yuki said, to which the redhead pointed at the front.

"See for yourselves."

And what they saw shocked them so much that they froze for a minute. In front of them was the virus-releasing facility shown in the document they read. As stated, it was rather large, more like a nuclear powerplant. However, the facility was not what shocked them.

Separating them and the facility was hundreds and thousands of undeads stretching for one kilometer around the facility, preventing their vehucle from moving forward anymore. It was as if the large horde was instructed to protect the area from any outsiders.

"What the…" Kurumi was the one to express her disbelief first at the situation. The others still stared with their mouths open. "How are we going to pass through them to get inside?"

"I guess… we have to abandon the thought of going in there for now," voiced Yuuri.

Yuuta nodded. "Yes… unless, there's a safe way in that we can go to," he turned towards Miki. "Is there one, Miki?"

The whitehead girl picked the papers detailing the facility and looked at the compound's layout. Finally, she found one. "Yes, there is, senpai," Miki informed, showing the others the map and pointing at a long structure. "It seems there's an emergency underground tunnel from the facility connected to a building a few distance away. If we can get there, we don't have to worry about those above ground since it's stated that the tunnel is sealed off and not in use."

"That's great, so now we have a way inside," said Yuki. "Let's go there then, shall we?"

"Indeed, Yuki-chan. I'll go prepare the things to be brought," Yuuri said.

"Woah woah woah," Yuuta waved his hands in front of him. "You two are not coming with us, are you?"

"Kiriha is right, the facility could also be dangerous inside," agreed Shuuya.

Yuuri closed her eyes and brought her hand to her mouth, looking sideways at the two boys in mocked hurt. "Oh, are we just loads to all of you? Such is the life of a frail girl."

Yuki also joined, collapsing on the floor in a dramatically pitiful manner and pretend-sobbing. "Yuu-kun, I'm sorry for not being able to fight. I'm just weak and unneeded after all. Huhu…"

The other two girls, Kurumi and Miki, stared at Yuuta and Shuuya with a disappointing gaze. "You two are the worst." "Not understanding a girl's heart." "How can you say you like them?" "No gender equality."

"EHHH!?" The two boys were surprised and taken aback at the reaction to their words. "I-I-It's not like we're trying to say that you two are unneeded but-" "You two are definitely not loads to this team." "We just don't want any danger to befall any of you." "We're trying to protect you."

As Yuuta and Sakaki mouthed of their excuses, Yuuri and Yuki opened their eyes and stared at them with big sparkly eyes. Averting their eyes proved useless against the attack, and Sakaki admitted defeat first from the cuteness.

"I apologize for my words. I would be grateful if you all would join and accompany me," the redhead bowed.

Next was Yuuta, who held on for a minute more before also losing out. "Alright alright, you two can come with us," the two girls high-fived each other. "But, we're all staying as close as possible and no straying from the group, okay?"

"Hai~" Yuki answered happily. Smiling, Yuuri went over to plan what to bring on the trip.

"Gotcha, you two are so weak against girls," Kurumi commented as she sat on the driver's seat. "It's any wonder how you two are the ones who get to pair up with them."

"It's called chivalric behaviour, I'll let you know," Shuuya uncharacteristically tried to defend his manly pride. "Fulfilling a lady's wishes is the hallmark of a gentleman."

"Ooh~ and are we not lady enough to get that treatment, senpai?" grinned Miki as she took her place on the seat beside Kurumi.

"I guess not, since you both are rough mannered and too boyish most of the time that few would regard you two as attractive girls, much less ladies," Yuuta remarked a little bit too honestly.

A dark aura began to envelop Kurumi when the words were muttered. "You know, it's been quite a while since I whacked your head with my shovel, Yuuta," she turned around, revealing a terrifying smile and holding her shovel. "Isn't that right, Miki?"

"Yes, senpai," the sound of sword unsheathing could be heard from her position. "And seeing as you won't die from being killed, it's okay if I stab you a few times," a similar creepy smile was on her face when she turned backwards. "Right, Yuuta-senpai?"

Feeling slightly(okay, moderately) afraid, the boy in question sweated hard and smiled awkwardly. "Please don't?"

* * *

In the end, it took an hour to arrive at the building where the tunnel connects to due to the beating of Yuuta("I was just being honest for a while!") and several obstacles on the road. Parking the RV in front of the place, Yuuta placed his hand on the vehicle door before turning his head.

"Just to be sure, are you two sure you want to come along?" He asked Yuuri and Yuki. "I mean, just three of us can go and the other can stay behind and watch our things or protect you in case something happens, after all, we don't know of the inside is any different from the outside, and-" the girls stared at him again with Kurumi brandishing her shovel. "I'm gonna close my mouth now," Shuuya placed a hand on his shoulder in understanding.

Opening the door, Yuuta stepped out first to survey the surroundings. Signalling that it's okay to come out, the others quietly followed him. Holding a hand to block the Sun, Miki looked at the facility that they're going to, when something caught her gaze.

"Is that?"

"What is it, Mii-kun?" Yuki asked.

The white haired girl squinted her eyes before shaking her head. "Nothing. I just thought I saw something familiar up there."

The walk to the building went without trouble as they strode swiftly pass the undeads. Once inside and securing the premise, it was a matter of finding the hidden room in which the door to the tunnel resides. After several minutes, it was revealed to be under the carpet of a vault room that took four peoples to open. Descending down the ladder, the group saw the beginning of the underground tunnel in front of them, locked behind a pair of steel door and a panel beside it.

Yuuri took out a flashlight and walked towards the panel, inspecting it. "It seems we need to know the password to open the door," she glanced at Miki. "Any idea on what the code is, Miki-san?"

Flipping through the pages of the document from the military, the young girl shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ri-san, but it's not written in here."

"Well that just sucks," Kurumi spoke dejectedly. "How're suppose to pass through the door. It's surprising enough that this place still has a power supply; do we need to open the panel and cut some wires like they do in movies or something?"

"There shall be no need for that," voiced Shuuya, stretching his arms and neck. "Just give me the order and this door will fall," he readied a boxing stance.

"Oh! I want to say it!" Yuki lifted her hand. "Ehem, ehem. Shuuya-kun, OPEN THIS DOOR!"

The redhead gave a slight giggle at the command. "As you wish," and with a raise of his brass knuckled-hands, hit the steel door. It was followed by his other hand, and then the previous, and then another. Right, left, right, left; with every punch the metal substance dents a little and the door began to be pushed back if only a bit.

However, it was obvious after a minute that the process would take a long time than what they have at the time, since the loud noise is bound to garner the attention of many undeads. And so, Yuuta decided to speed the process up.

As he continued hitting the steel, Shuuya felt a hand on his shoulder along with a voice, "Shuuya, are you still weak?"

The effect of Yuuta's voice was immediate since as soon as he uttered it, the redhead tripled the speed of his punches and began chanting "URAURAURAURA!" repeatedly, at the top of his voice.

Finally, with a last roundhouse kick, the door blasted open and Shuuya breathed hard, wiping the sweat on his forehead. He turned to look at his companions.

"Wow, you're very cool and strong, Shuuya-kun!"

"That was very impressive, Shuuya-senpai!"

"Thank you, Shuuya-kun. You're very helpful."

Yuki, Miki and Yuuri expressed their awe and thanks at the redhead, while Kurumi spoke to Yuuta in a deadpan manner. "Ya know, we could try cutting some wires before asking him to punch the door down."

"Yeah, you're right," Yuuta admitted. "But it wouldn't be that cool if it happened like that. I'm giving him a chance to show of his strength, that's all."

"As if we don't know how strong he is."

"It's okay once in a while though, isn't it?" And with that said, the group ventured into the dark tunnel(searching for a while makes it into a bright tunnel) and are relieved to see that there are no undeads in it with them. Beginning the long walk, Yuuri handed out several walkie talkies("If we get separated") and they chattet among themselves on various things to pass the time, but it's all a front for the fact that they don't know what awaits them at the end of the tunnel. The seemingly quiet space only added to the tenseness.

After what seems to be half an hour of walking, the group finally reached the end of their journey as beheld in front of them was another steel door, but with a handle attached this time. Leaking under it from the other side was what they knew to be dried blood.

Cautiously, Yuuta stepped forward and pressed one ear onto the door. Focusing, he could hear faint growls from the opposite, and backed down.

"Alright, you guys know how we're going to do this, right?" Asked the boy.

"Stick together and don't go by yourself."

"Only fight if they're blocking our way forward."

"Follow the prepared route."

"Find the source of the infection and destroy it if we can."

"If we can't, get out immediately and escape."

"And don't leave anyone behind," Yuuta finished the list. Facing the door, he placed one hand on the handle while the other gripped his sword.

"Don't worry," the blue eyes boy felt another hand on his left. "We're going to be fine," Yuki assured her husband.

Yuuta smiled at her and looked forward. "Yes, there's nothing for us to worry about after all."

"I take it back! We do have something to worry about after all!" Yuuta shouted as he slashed another undead and ran forward, pulling Yuki with him.

"Oh, just shut it! This is not anyone's fault!" Said Kurumi while bashing an undead in the face with her shovel.

"If you have time to talk, then run, senpai!" Miki moved her sword wildly to keep the undeads off of her. "The room's just a few meters ahead of us!"

Hitting another undead in the face, Shuuya remarked, "Is that true?" and sprinted ahead, swiping up a surprised Yuuri in his arms. Arriving at their destination by basically headbutting the obstacles out of his way, the redhead kicked the door open and entered along with Yuuri.

"What the- they just left us!?" Kurumi complained.

"Just hurry up, senpai. We're almost there ourselves," replied Miki.

"Yuu-kun, behind you!"

Hearing her alert, Yuuta quickly turned around and dodged a close bite from two undeads, before kicking them backwards. "Thanks, Yuki."

"No problem," the pinkhead smiled, and pulled the both of them towards the room where the others had gone to. "Now come on."

As the couple reached the door, a pair of hands quickly pulled them inside and the door immediately closed behind them. Breathing hard, Yuuta thanked the person. "Thanks, Shuuya."

"You're welcome, Kiriha," the boy extended a hand again and pulled them up. "I've already cleared this place so we're safe for now."

Looking around, Yuuta took notice of the various control panels in the room and the large window on one side. "That said, what room are we in, actually? Miki," he turned to the girl.

"I honestly don't know either, senpai," Miki answered. "It just said that this is the control room and in front of us is supposed to be the observation chamber, though it's hard to see what's in there with the lights off."

"Let's find the light switch then, shall we?" Suggested Yuuri.

Kurumi sighed. "Yes, as long as we don't trigger any more alarm like before."

"Sorry about that," apologized Yuuta. "I don't know that just by opening the door would make the whole place buzz off and attract a whole horde of 'them' towards us."

""Yeah, I know that. It's not your fault," Kurumi replied. "Now let's just hurry and find the switch."

As soon as Kurumi said that, Yuki voiced from one of the panel, her finger hovering over a large red button. "Hey, everyone! Maybe this is the switch we're looking for."

"Huh?" Yuuta turned towards the girl. Sighting the obviously dangerous-looking button, he shouted to her, "Wait, Yuki! No!"

However, he's too late as the pinkhead had already pressed the button. For a few tense moments, the group waits, until the chamber in front of them began to light up.

"What?" Uttered Yuuri. "Could that button be the light switch?"

"Whoever made it must have liked big, red buttons," Shuuya theorized. "Either that or the button does more than lighting the room up."

"We can worry about that later," Kurumi walked to the glass panel. "Now, let's see what's actually they're keeping in this place." And so, the others joined beside her.

What they saw was various tubes placed around the room heading towards the walls and several metal pillars emitting electricity. At the center of it all was a spherical container connecting with the tubes and levitating from the pillars. Inside the container, was a strange rock, dark in colour and aura, as they could literally see a mist of darkness rising from it. The mist was continually sucked into the tubes, carrying a bit of rock dust with it.

Seeing the chamber, the six friends were understandably confused and perplexed over the strange machine. All, but one who remembered.

"That rock… could it be?" Muttered Yuuta, eyes wide at the sight before him.

"Do you know anything about this, senpai," Miki asked.

Tearing his face from the glass, the boy nodded. "Yes, I have an idea on what that is. Do you all remember about what my… father… told us when we're at Randall Corporation?"

"Which part? The 'I have a story to tell you' part or the 'I'm the bringer of destruction' part?" Questioned Kurumi sarcastically.

Ignoring the tone, Yuuta answered. "The story part, the legend of how the plague came to this planet. Don't you see, this," he pointed at the rock's direction. "Must be the meteorite from the story, the one that released the original plague and material from which my sword was made."

"I… that can't be true, right?" Spoke a surprised Shuuya. "Then, the plague of this age is caused by this piece of space rock?"

"It seems to be the case," Yuuri said, hands crossed. "This machine must be transporting the particles and plague microorganisms to the outside world through those tubes. Thus, the aerial infections."

"Then, the large horde outside the facility is really guarding the source of the plague, just like what happened in that story," Kurumi said.

There was a long pause as they processed what they just discovered, and the question hanging between them, spoken loudly by Yuki after a while. "So, what do we do now?"

Yuuta had a conflicted look on his face, as do the others at the question. "For now, we'll… go out and find some way to stop the spread, then, we escape. You all agree?"

"Yes…" his companions replied.

"Let's get going then. If we hurry, we can stop this machine faster and prevent any more casualties around the world," spoke Miki. "I'll just turn the light for this room off," she reached to a switch on the wall.

As soon as she flipped it, an alarm began to ring throughout the place, casting red light on the room. However, what's more worrying was that the doors on all three sides of the room were opened, admitting many undeads into the room.

"Miki, what did you do!?" Kurumi shouted to her underclassman while taking out her shovel. "Whatever you did, undo it quickly!"

"I've already tried it, senpai!" Yelled the white haired girl, flipping the switch again and again, which doesn't do anything to the doors. "But it looks like it's a one use only!"

"What the heck?" Yuuta said as he stabbed one undead. "First a big, red button that's only a light switch, now a light switch that sounds the alarm. Is this a trap room or what!?"

Kicking an undead backwards, Shuuya responded. "Do not be ungrateful, Kiriha. We should be feeling lucky that we didn't touch any other buttons or switches."

"How are we going to escape from here with this many opponents?" Asked Yuuri in panic as her back are pressed against the window.

"We need an escape route, but where?" Yuki's eyes wandered as she stood behind Yuuta's back. "Ah, I know!"

Extracting a baseball bat from Yuuta's bag, Yuki ran towards the glass panel and hit it as hard as she can with the bat.

"What are you doing, Yuki?" Kurumi glanced aside for a moment.

"We can escape through here," the pinkhead girl continued hitting the window. "After all, they're not in that chamber."

"Nice thinking, Yuki-chan."

"However, it will be hard to break it with you yourself," remarked Yuuta. Retreating backwards, he called. "Miki! Let's help!"

The girl in question quickly decapitated the undead she was fighting, nodded and ran to the glass window along with Yuuta.

*schwing* *schwing*

Slashing the panel, their cuts form a cross trace as the two sword-wielding students repeatedly moved their blades even as the undeads were nearing.

"It's my turn now!" Kurumi exclaimed as she lifted her shovel high in the air. "Move aside!"

The impact crushed the glass but the window was still not fully breaking. So, it was up to the last person.

"Useless," uttered Shuuya as he punched the glass, scattering it into many shards.

Good job, Shuuya," congratulated Yuuta. "Alright everyone, jump down now!"

The first one to go was Kurumi who didn't have a problem landing and immediately stood on guard. Next was Shuuya who caught the falling Yuuri in his arms. Yuuta went after with Yuki falling onto his back embarrassedly. The last one was Miki, who jumped just out of reach of the undeads.

"We don't have much time; Miki, how to get to the tunnel from here?" Kurumi queried.

"I'm afraid our way there has been blocked, senpai," she informed. There's no available route for us to get there from here," the others were dejected at the answer. "But, we can go to the rooftop."

"What is up there?" Asked Yuuri.

"I don't know if what I saw was correct or not, but back then, I noticed that there's a helicopter at the rooftop," Miki looked at the map. "That's our only hope of a safe way out of here, and the route is not that long. I'm sure we have a better chance of making it up there than returning to the tunnel."

Silence for a few seconds as the others thought about the proposal, before Yuuta spoke. "If you say so, you're the one with the map after all."

"Lead the way then, Mii-kun," with Yuki's voice, Miki walked at the front and towards a door in the room.

"Ouch…" Shuuya's voice echoed as he clutched his hands together.

"What is it, Shuuya-kun?" Asked Yuuri worriedly with the others heading back and standing around him.

"I think I've used my hands too much today," the redhead said. "But not in a perverted way!" He added, seemingly knowing about the double meaning of the sentence.

"I know that," the brown haired girl replied flatly. "Let me see your hand."

"Ow ow ow," the boy groaned.

"It can't be helped then," Yuuta sighed. "Yuki, give Shuuya the bat; Shuuya, you give me your brass knuckles. It can't be good for your hands to always holding it all the time."

"Yes," Shuuya handed over his pair of brass knuckles to his friend. "I'm sorry, Kiriha."

"Don't, you've done much today."

The next several minutes were then spent fighting a horde of undeads like in the beginning but lesser than before while occasionally climbing up the stairs to the rooftop. It was a rough journey, and the group was very relieved when they finally saw the door to the open roof at the end of the hallway.

Smiling at the fact that she managed to lead everyone to safety(even if it's not yet certain) Miki walked to join the others before a voice stopped her.

"Wait, Miki."

* * *

Opening the door, the wind and sunlight greeted Kurumi as she stepped onto the platform. Observing her surroundings, a sigh of relief escaped her mouth on finding that there were no undeads on the roof. Instead, she found what they were looking for.

A helicopter, another military one probably from its colours, was parked on the landing platform. It was bigger than what they encountered before, though. Turning around, she informed her friends. "Alright, the coast is clear. Looks like there is a copter up here."

"Let's hurry up, then," urged Yuki as she ran forward ahead of the others.

"Yuki-chan, wait!" Yuuri followed after her and so does Shuuya.

"Hey, don't leave me here!" Said the purple haired girl, rushing to the vehicle and boarding it just after Shuuya.

Sitting at the driver's seat at the front, the redhead flipped some switches and gripped the handle stick. "Do you know how to fly this copter, Shuuya-kun?" Asked Yuuri.

"I've played a flying simulation game before, so I'm a little bit familiar with the controls," Shuuya replied as he started the engines and the blades began to move. "After all, if Kiriha could do it then it couldn't be that hard."

Though slightly worried, Yuuri sat at the seat next to him before Miki's voice reached her. "We've got to go up now!" The whitehead yelled.

"What, what?" Queried Kurumi. Peeking from the door revealed to her the answer, that is, several undeads were coming in slowly from the rooftop entrance. "Darn it, how could they get here so fast?"

"Shuuya-kun, take us up quickly, now!"

"That will be done shortly, Yuuri-san," grabbing the handle stick, the redhead lifted the helicopter into the air slowly, just in time to get out of reach of the undeads. Hovering mid-air the copter moved forward away from the facility.

Kurumi breathed out in relief. "Ahh, thank goodness we made it out of there. I guess we're going back to the RV now, right, Yuuta?" She paused, not hearing any answer and turned around. "Hey… where's Yuuta?"

"What are you talking about, Kurumi-chan. Yuu-kun's right here…" Yuki looked behind her, but only saw Miki hugging her legs and holding two swords. "Eh, Mii-kun, why do you have two swords with you?" Questioned Yuki, her voice cracked and low.

"I'm sorry, senpai. I'm sorry," cried Miki.

* * *

"Wait, Miki."

Turning around, Miki looked into Yuuta's face standing behind her. "What is it, Yuuta-senpai?"

"Here, take this," the boy threw his sword at the girl. "I want you to hold onto this for a while."

Staring at the blade, Miki asked. "Why? This is your weapon, right? Your family's treasure. The legendary blade of the distant past."

"I'm trusting you with it, and the protection of the others," Yuuta placed his hands on Miki's shoulders. "You're the only one besides me here that can use it, and dual wielding is cool, isn't it?"

"But, why are you giving it to me in the first place?" Questioned Miki some more. "You… don't tell me… you're not coming with us!?" The boy silently nodded. "But why!?"

Smiling slightly, he answered. "Do you remember that big, red button that Yuki pressed earlier?" Miki nodded. "That button actually is dangerous. It's written in fine print that it's the self-destruct button for this facility," the girl gasped. "But it needs to be pressed twice in succession to activate it."

"Then we're safe, aren't we?" Remarked the whitehead. "Yuki-senpai didn't pressed it twice, did she?"

"No, she didn't," Yuuta shook his head. "But I'm the one who's going to do it."

Miki was shocked at the statement. "What did you say? We can destroy this facility later, senpai. For now we've got to go-" a hand silenced her.

"No, this cannot wait," said Yuuta firmly. "The self-destruct explosion would surely destroy this place, but not the meteorite completely. I can feel it," turning backwards, the boy walked towards the door from which they came. "It is the duty of my family to guard the rock from the outside world, but my father had betrayed that responsibility or his own purposes. Now, it my duty to complete the job of not only sealing it, but to completely annihilate it," his hand at the door handle, he glanced at Miki. "I've got to be there to personally ensure that the particles are all obliterated to the very molecule, you understand, don't you?"

"I don't understand at all!" Miki yelled. "There's no way you'll survive the explosion! Do you want to leave us all sad, including… Yuki-senpai!? There's no way I'll let that happen!"

Grinning, Yuuta looked at the girl. "Don't worry, I won't die even when I'm killed, you know? And also," he opened the door, a several undeads suddenly entering into the hallway. "I knew you won't approve of this."

Surprised at the sudden appearance of undeads, Miki pulled out her sword and began defending from their advances. "Yuuta-senpai!" She called out, but the boy was already gone from her vision and only his voice could be heard.

"I'm the one who lured them here, so they won't target me," his voice echoed. "Also, please hurry and tell the others to leave. I don't want to endanger them."

"Senpai-" Miki's yell was cut short to leap from an undead's attack. Gritting her teeth, she ran over to the end of the hallway and through the door.

* * *

"No way, Yuu-kun is…" in disbelief, Yuki could only stare blankly ahead.

"I'm turning back to get him!" Informed Shuuya, only for another voice to halt him.

"Hey, you don't have to get me, you know," the voice was coming from the redhead's walkie talkie placed beside him. "You'll be caught in the blast."

"Kiriha! Where are you?" Shuuya yelled in concern while still managing to control the copter. "I'm coming back for you!"

A sigh could be heard over the line. "As I said, there's no need for that. It could be dangerous to be that close."

"Nevertheless!"

"Do you want to disobey my order, Shuuya?" The redhead stiffened at the statement. "Ahaha, I shouldn't be that cruel sounding to you, especially in this moment. That reminds me, I'd prefer it if you could call me by 'Yuuta' again, just like in our younger days, and yes, this is an order."

"But Kiri- Yuuta, I can't just leave you!" Shuuya spoke emotionally. "You're my best friend."

"Don't worry, it's not like I'm going to die. Hahaha," a laugh was heard, but it felt so dry. "And, we'll meet each other again someday, I'm sure of that."

"But, Yuuta-kun-"

"Ah, Ri-san is it? Good, could you hand this over to Yuuki? I imagine she wants to hear my voice right now."

Reluctantly, Yuuri took the walkie talkie from Shuuya and gave it to Yuki. "Yuki-chan…"

"Yuu-kun, where are you!?" The pinkhead immediately grabbed the communication device and shouted at it. "You… you're not leaving me, are you?"

At the other end of the line, Yuuta was smiling sadly at the question. "Yuki… I'm afraid I am going to. I hope… you take care of yourself while I'm gone. The others will help you, I'm sure, but you have to become more reliable too, since you'll have a child in several months. It wouldn't do for the mother to act like a little kid in front of her baby, of course."

"Yuu-kun…" droplets began to form at the edge of Yuki's eyes.

"Ah, that's right. We still haven't made a desicion on what the child's name would be, didn't we?" Yuuta's voice sounds cheery, but his wife knows that's not true on the inside. "Well, I'm leaving the choice to you, as payment for leaving you. I hope you choose a nice name."

Tears were welling inside Yuki's eyes. "Yuu-kun, you…!"

"See you later, Yuki," a single tear fell from Yuuta's eyes. "I love you." And with that he dropped the device and pressed the self-destruct button twice before quickly jumping from the room into the chamber holding the meteorite. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at the rock placed at the center while electricity began to leak from the pillars and damaging the walls. "So, it has come to this. The day when the one legacy shall be ended and the beginning of a new one," stretching his arms forward, he punched the material encasing the rock and broke it, revealing the meteorite directly to him. Pulling his arm back, he stared indignantly at the foreign thing before punching it again.

"I defy you, *******!

* * *

"Yuu-kun! Yuu-kun!" Yuki shook the walkie talkie desperately in the hopes of hearing Yuuta's voice again. "Talk to me! Don't leave me!"

Abandoning the device, the girl went towards the window of the helicopter, which was rapidly distancing itself from the facility… just in time to see the building explode spectacularly, flames and smokes rising to the sky and ashes falling to the ground.

"No, this can't be…" the others stared shockingly as Yuki muttered to herself, tears dripping to her cheeks.

"NNNOOOOOOOOOOO!"


	24. Chapter 24: Bittersweet

Chapter 24 - Bittersweet

"NNOOOOOOO!"

Screamed Yuki as she watched the facility bursted into flames in front of her, shock etched on her face as well as the others. Her tears dropped into the floor, unnoticed to her.

"Yuuta… you idiot!" Kurumi shouted, her hands forming a fist. "You self-sacrificing idiot! Why'd you have to do that. Why…?" She rubbed her eyes.

As the sound of the explosion subsided, Yuki's grip on the window lessened and she slumped onto the floor of the helicopter, looking down as her hair bangs covered her face. Hands at the side, she looked lifeless to her friends.

"Yuki-chan…" muttered Yuuri at the pinkhead's prone form. Slowly, she walked towards her and hugged her from the side in an effort to calm her. "I… don't know what to say… but please… please don't stay down. Yuuta-kun wouldn't want you to act like this." The brunette got no response from her.

"Yuki-senpai…" suddenly, Miki threw her arms around Yuki from behind. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry for leaving Yuuta-senpai behind. I'm sorry for not being able to stop him. I'm sorry…"

At the front, Shuuya continued flying the copter even as tears welled up in his eyes. "Yuuta… why do you have to do that? Leaving me behind again… I could never reach you, can't I?" He gritted his teeth.

"No…"

"What is it, Yuki-chan?" Yuuri was surprised at the voice.

"No, no, No, NO, NOO!" Yuki stood up and held her head. "Yuu-kun can't be gone. He can't, he can't!" She shook her head vigorously. "We have to turn back! He must still be there somewhere, alive and well. He must be!"

"Senpai…" uttered Miki at her action.

The pinkhead moved to the front and shook Shuuya's seat. "Turn back! Please, please!"

"Yuki-san, please don't!" Alerted Shuuya at the sudden movement as he struggled to control the helicopter.

"We've got to find him, we've got to!" Yuki screamed before she was forcefully held back by the arms. "Let me go, let me go!"

"Yuki, calm down," said Kurumi slowly as she pulled the girl away from Shuuya. "You're not the only one sad here."

After several seconds of struggling, the pinkhead stopped her movements. "But, but…" she sniffed. "Yuu-kun. He…"

"I know that feeling," Kurumi replied as she moved her arms to hug embrace Yuki. "I know."

Not hearing anything from the girl, Kurumi relinquished her hold on her. Yuki, her head still facing downward, walked very slowly to the back. "Yuu-kun…" she kneeled down on the floor… and spotted Yuuta's sword beside Miki's. Grabbing the blade, she held it close to her body and let her tears flow again. "Why… why did you leave me?" A droplet fell on the sheath and she spoke again. "Megu-nee, are you here?"

A second later, Yuki felt it again. The warm embrace like the one she experienced during Yuuta's rampage at the college. The feeling of calmness and gentleness, along it were the silver tresses flowing forwards beside her. And the soft voice from before. "Yes, I'm here, Yuki-chan."

"Yuu-kun, he… didn't die, right?" She gripped Tamashiha tight onto her chest. "He's still alive, right? Right?"

"I don't have the answer to that question," the voice replied. "Every living being will eventually die and leave this physical world. There are very few exceptions to this fact, and Yuuta-kun is not exempt from it."

The tears increased when Yuki heard that. "But…"

"But, as I said before, I don't have the answer right now," her hesitation was cut down. "Yuuta-kun knew exactly what he was going into, and he still went through with his actions. But that does not mean he accepted his fate just like that," Yuki paused from her cries and turned her head a little. "What was the last thing he said to you, Yuki-chan?"

Yuki tried to remember beneath her sadness. "He said… I love you," the tears began to flow again.

"And, before that?"

"Before that, he said… see you later," answered Yuki, and she raised her head up in realization.

"Yes, that's right. He did not say 'Good bye', but 'See you later'," the voice remarked. "That means that he still believe that he will meet you again in the future, even at that moment. And you should believe in him too."

"Yuu-kun…" the pinkhead smiled wistfully in hope.

"And even if he don't return to you, Yuuta-kun still left behind three things for you, am I right?" The voice added. "Your memories of the time you spent with him, his treasured sword, Tamashiha, and lastly, the unborn child inside you," a small presence reached her hands.

"Yes, that's right," Yuki touched her stomach. "Yuu-kun did. Thank you."

"You're welcome," the voice replied, and Yuki felt that it was time to ask the question that's running in her mind since their previous encounter.

"You… you're not Megu-nee, are you?" She questioned slowly.

The reply she got was a giggle. "Perhaps I am, perhaps I am not. You may know later, or maybe not. It all depends on your future actions and the world's. However, it does not remove the fact that I've helped you, even if all of you didn't realize it."

"I see then," muttered Yuki. "Then, are you leaving now?"

"Yes, it seems I've done my job. May we meet again, Yuki-chan. Take care of yourself and your child, and always believe in your husband," and with that, the comforting and warm presence dissapeared.

"Thank you," Yuki said slowly. Rubbing the tears in her eyes, she stood up and put on a smile on her face. "Everyone!"

The others on the copter, who were sitting on the floor feeling depressed during the entire time Yuki was having a conversation, were surprised at her sudden voice and turned to her, minus Shuuya.

"Everyone, let's… let's do our best to live our lives from here on, okay?" Said the pinkhead, much to the shock of her friends.

"Y-Yuki… are you?"

"What are you saying, senpai?"

"Yuki-chan…"

Smiling a little, Yuki looked at the peoples in front of her with warmness. "Kurumi-chan, Mii-kun, Ri-san and Shuuya-kun, we can't remain sad about Yuu-kun. He will return one day to us, I believe in it. In the meantime, we have to stay healthy and safe without him, and take care of ourselves, but that's fine, isn't it? For we are capable of living with just the five of us, am I right?"

There was silence for a few seconds after Yuki uttered those words, before Kurumi giggled. "I never thought you I would hear those words from you," she stood up and walked to her, petting Yuki's head. "You've truly grown up."

"I'm proud of you, Yuki-chan," uttered Yuuri. "You were able to recover from this. Perhaps, you're the most mature among us right now," the pinkhead giggled at the statement.

"Senpai," Miki went to Yuki and bowed her head. "You… don't hate me, right? For leaving Yuuta-senpai behind."

Yuki grinned and hugged Miki to her chest. "Of course not. You've done what you could, but it was Yuu-kun's decision. There's nothing you can do about it." They stayed in that position for a moment before Shuuya spoke.

"We'll land soon," the redhead informed. "I'm going to park near our vehicle, and we'll have to decide where we're going from here on. And I promise you, Yuki-san," he glanced back for a second. "I will protect you and everyone until Yuuta return to us."

"That's right," Kurumi picked her shovel from the floor. "We've got to support each other and prove to him that we can stay alive without him. There's no telling how long until we meet him again, after all," she smiled.

Yuuri sat down, gesturing for the others to sit too. "It's decided then, we'll continue our mission of finding other survivors and living our life," the brunette reached for Yuki's hand. "Of course, taking care of you and the life inside of you is also important as well. You won't be alone, we promise."

"I know, Ri-san. I know," giggled Yuki. She looked towards the window wistfully. "I wonder what the future will be for us." Under her breath, she added.

"After all, you're always with me. Right, Yuu-kun?"

* * *

An barren area, flames rising to the sky and pieces of rubble decorating the land. The sky was bright, though the sun was shielded by dark clouds, indicating that rain could fall at any moment. The smell of ash and burnt flesh could be smelled if one were there, though the source of it had been vaporized for a few hours before. Faintly, one could hear the groans of the undeads from a distance away, waiting to fill the gap in this place.

In this land of destroyed punishment, three figures stood at the center of what was once the facility housing the meteorite, which had been completely annihilated by the explosion that also decimated this place. These three persons are very different from each other, as evidenced by their differing hair and eye colour. However, for them to assemble in this exact place, they surely have a common motive.

"I sensed a life from under that piece of rubble," one of them, with eye as dark as the abyss and hair white like the clouds, spoke.

"So did I," remarked the other, a male with black hair and gold eyes befitting a royal. "I can feel a connection to it, and it must be the reason why we are here."

"And thus, let us inspect it, shall we?" The last one, another boy with hair and eye as clear as the whitest snow, suggested.

Nodding, the trio walked towards the piece of rubble, unknowing on what was beneath it. Arriving at the place, the one with black eyes lifted the concrete up, revealing a protruding hand beneath another rubble. That hand twitched slightly, and they could hear a faint voice from underneath it.

"Yu… ki…"

* * *

Author's note~

Oho~ so we meet again~ and another chapter. Sorry for the long hiatus of the previous chapter, turns out I really don't work well when on break. However, the next chapters should come along quickly, I hope…

Anyways, we are nearing the climax of the story, and I really want to complete this soon so I can focus on starting my other stories. As for this chapter, oho~ who do you think the voice that spoke with Yuki is? Could it really be Megu-nee, just a voice that she imagined, or another being? And the three figures at the end, just who are they? And why are they there? Well, for the first question, the identity will be revealed at the last chapters, and a very spoilery being. As for the second, sorry, but it'll be a long, long, long time before you know them, and they're not even revealed in this story.

Another important thing, remember those list of names that was suggested by the club members in the last chapter? Well, they're absolutely not just random names that I decided to include in there. Each, and each, one of them are important for future references. If you recognised some of them, then good for you.

Lastly, see you in the next chapter, and may we meet again. See you later~


	25. Chapter 25: Awakening, Return and Past

Chapter 25 - Awakening, Return and Past

"He… alright… it seems…"

My head hurts, which is not something new.

"We… return… our… then…"

I tried to move my body, and groaned at the resulting pain.

"May… meet… someday…"

'Who are those?' I wondered, as I could faintly hear voices around me. Slowly opening my eyes, I blinked twice before being greeted by the wide blue sky atop me.

"It… hurts…" I remarked, lifting my head and moving my limbs. Sending a command to my hand, it moves ever so slightly and painfully as I brought it to my face.

"It's burnt," true enough, there were scorch marks across the skin on my right hand along with some cut wounds, though the blood had dried. Lifting the other one confirmed that it's also in the same condition.

Holding my head, I raised my upper body and sat on the ground. And to my not-so-surprise, my shirt was gone, probably ashes now, and the only clothing I have on me is my long pants which sleeves had degreased to just above my knees.

After finishing inspecting my state of dress, I tried to stand up, but collapsed due to still feeling disoriented. My hand touched something when it landed, and bringing it to my face informed me that it's the brass knuckles that I borrowed from Shuuya. There's some damage to them, but not anything serious that disrupted their usage.

Turning my head around, I inspected my surroundings once more. It seems that I'm in a barren wasteland, with large pieces of rubbles everywhere and the land marked with black ashes.

'It seems the explosion was really big,' I concluded, still sitting on the ground.

After being on the ground for a few minutes, I tried standing again and slowly rose up. My sense of balance was not too good, and so I stumbled forward instead of walking. Grabbing Shuuya's brass knuckles, I moved on towards the faraway buildings. While my legs carried me forward, my mind was thinking about what happened to me and the voices earlier.

'I guess… I should be thankful that I'm still alive. Though, I don't know how, I'm still grateful. Now, I can return to Yuki and everyone,' coming upon a piece of metal bar on the ground, I picked it and used it as a staff to support me. 'But… who are those voices earlier? Are they the one who saved me? And where did they go when I woke up? Or are they just my delusions? Ghosts, perhaps?' I laughed a little at the thought. "Yeah, as if a spirit can protect me from an explosion."

And so I continued walking, occasionally resting when fatigue came. Eventually, I did arrive at some buildings on the edge of the blast crater. And as expected, the undeads are walking around the place, seemingly avoiding the explosion area. Thankfully, they didn't attack me, since I still have the undead virus and 'corruption' inside me, just like before. Stumbling around, I entered a random building and collapsed on the floor.

Several hours later, if the setting sun is any indication, I woke up from my exhausted sleep and stood up again, feeling just a little bit less tired and hurt than before. My first order of business is to find a new and clean set of clothing, which I found quickly enough in the first hour. Turns out the building is a small convenience store and the clothing I found were just a simple shirt, underwear, trousers and a brown long coat along with a pair of shoes. Searching the place further proved disappointing as the foods are either spoiled or gone.

Feeling thirsty and hungry, I have no choice but to exit the building with an empty stomach and still fatigued not to mention the various wounds on my body. 'I wonder… what the others are doing right now,' I thought as I stepped forward. 'I hope… they're safe. I believe… they're going to be fine without me. Shuuya's strong, while Kurumi and Miki are skilled in fighting, Ri-san will keep them away from going to any dangerous situations and Yuki…' I smiled slightly. 'She'll keep their spirits up. She's the heart of the group after all.'

Still walking forward, I keep on moving slowly even as the sun set down at the horizon. How do I manage to move my body in my state, I don't know. Perhaps it's my desire to meet the others again, though that reason is very cliché and cheesy. If I had to say, it's may have something to do with the undead virus still active inside of me which provides me with energy, or any variation of the explanation. I still don't have any information about the virus or the meteorite, and the only one who knows it is my father-

"Wait, that's it," I froze at the realization. "I can go to his place, Randall Corporation, and find out where Yuki and the others are," I have no doubts that they have left this place, either by the copter or the RV, and I have absolutely no chance of catching up to them even if I'm aware of where they are. With no means of transportation and information on their whereabouts(not to mention mine), I'm effectively hopeless in reaching them by myself. But if I go there, I can at least know obtain some supplies if not info on where they might be. He must've have something like a connection to a satellite or two, considering the size of the corporation.

'The real question is, whether he'll let me in and help me,' I resumed my journey, the first stars coming out to decorate the night sky. 'He'll definitely not cooperate with me by kindness alone. Even if he let me go the last time, there's no guarantee if he'll do the same the second time. I may have to fight him this time,' an undead came close to me and I punched it to the side. "But if that we're to happen, let it happen. I won't let him prevent me from seeing Yuki, even if have to ask him for help or fight him, I'll do anything. No matter how long it is, I'll definitely see her again."

'I made a promise to the world after all.'

~~~~~~~

"Looks like the new prototype is mostly complete," a man dressed in a lab coat spoke to himself while holding a clipboard. "It's taken me a long time, but if this works, then the actual immortality serum will just be a step more closer. My goal will finally be in my hand," he set the board on his desk and sat down. "Good thing too, with the meteorite blown to pieces some days ago, I'm running out of time as well as test subjects."

Suddenly, he felt an urge to pee. "Ah, toilet, toilet," the man rushed to the wet closet and relieved himself. Washing his hands, he heard a low sound coming from his lab. "Ah, the alarm again. Who is it this time?" Sighing, he grabbed his handgun and went to the elevator, not bothering to look at the panel screen.

Down and down the elevator goes, the researcher tidied his clothes and groomed his slightly spiky hair until he arrived at the ground floor. The doors opening, he stepped out and peered at who is it that entered the building. Much to his surprise, it was someone whom he knows, and a family of his.

"Yuuta…" Kiriha Kenji uttered, before quickly walking towards his son. Said person was currently collapsed face down on the floor in a very messy and wounded state, with no indication of being alive.

"Yuuta! Yuuta! What happened!" Kenji shouted, worried at the state of the person in front of him. He lifted the boy's body up and took note of the burnt marks on his skin. "You… don't tell me you were at the blast radius of the explosion!"

The boy opened one eye and stared at Kenji. "Ergh, Dad…" he mumbled. "That's you?"

"Yes, it's me," the father replied, before he received a punch to the face, knocking him backwards.

"That's for… giving that thing to Yuki…" Yuuta grinned weakly and fainted again.

~~~~~~~

My head hurts, which is not something new.

"Ergh, what happened?" I wondered aloud, feeling disoriented and numb, especially my body.

"Are you awake now?" I heard a voice speaking to me, which for some reason sounds familiar. "The anaesthetic should wear off by now," the voice added, and I opened my eyes to see who it was.

In front of me is someone who I thought I hated in the last few months, but I just couldn't. I should despise and wish death and damnation to him, though the feeling is shallow and unable to increase further.

It was my father.

"You're finally awake now, I take it?" He asked from his chair. "You know, you really worried me when you collapsed on the entrance. I was even more surprised by you punching me, but that's a trivial matter."

"You!" I tried to lurch forward to attack him, but found myself unable to move my body, even my hands. A quick look revealed that I'm bound onto a chair, the one you'd see in a dentist's operation room. Struggling, I couldn't escape from the chains.

"Don't move so much, that's for your protection as well as mine," my father informed and casually eat a cracker. "I don't want you rampaging around this place, and I hate to throw you out of the window if you do that."

Pausing from moving my body, I opted to glare at the man. "You'd really do that to your own son?"

Procuring a bottle of water from underneath his desk, he stood up an began walking towards me. "Well, I might do that if you're close to harming me in a threatening manner. If not, then I won't hurt you," he shoved the bottle at me. "Want some?"

"No," I responded, eyes still locked on the person. "I don't come here to accompany you. I came to this place because I need some… help," glancing sideways as I said that.

"Help, eh? And what kind of help do you need?" Dad answered, returning back to his seat.

"I got… separated from the others," I answered truthfully. "I don't know where they are right now nor do I have any may of catching up to them."

My father swivelled his chair and faced me. "Oho~ and how did you get separated? Could it be… that they left you?" He grinned.

"No. I ordered them to leave me back, and I'm the one who left them," the man didn't react to the statement.

"Of course you're the one who made the desicion by yourself, as expected of you," he stated. "There's no way you would leave them alone on your own, especially your family and friends," father smiled. "So, how long till the child is born?"

Uninvited, my face blushed at the question. "H-How did you know Yuki's already- It's only been a couple of months since we last met!" I stuttered out.

"So? You were born not even a year after me and your mom married. Our family tend to really rushed things when it involved producing a heir," informed the man. "But still, you're perhaps the youngest male in the last hundred years to produce a heir in our family line. Kids these days."

"I don't have a choice!" I blurted out. "Yuki's, well… cute… and I couldn't control myself after we wedded. And anyways, isn't it your fault in the first place that this happen to me!?" I shouted at him.

My father grinned(grinned!) arrogantly(arrogantly!) at the accusation and suddenly clapped. "Huhu~ I never expected you to be this flustered, Yuuta. You really do like Yuki-san, didn't you?"

The embarrassment in my heart increases and so I diverted the topic. "This is not what I came here for!" I(still) scream at him. "As much as I don't want to say this, I need your help in finding them, or at least provide me something that I can use to track them, and some supplies would be good too. I want to return to them, and her," begrudgingly, I requested.

"Sorry, but I can't help you with that," father nonchalantly dismissed my help request. "What made you think that I knew how to find your companions, much less connect with them? My time is mostly spend on doing my research and just a few hours of rest; I don't have the luxury to help others if it's not beneficial to me."

"Even if it's your son?" I stared at him straight in the eyes.

"Even if its my son," he replied.

We continue to glare at each other for a few seconds before I broke the gaze. "Tch, if that's how it is, then release me. I'll go search for them myself, even if I have to take forever to find them."

"Ah, but I haven't finished talking yet, you know," Dad suddenly spoke. "Truthfully, there is a way for me to find your companions, and that's through the company's private satellite," looks like I was right, this place did have a connection to a satellite. How convenient. "Problem is, the system needed to operate it in this building had been… er, damaged… and I'm not that particularly skilled in these area of technology; I studied medicine after all. So, it could take months before the system is back to an operational state and that's not counting the time spent on searching for your friends. But, if you want a method, there you have it."

"Then…" hope bloomed in my heart.

""But," he wagged his finger in front of me. "I said before right? I don't have the luxury to help others if it's not beneficial to me," smiling, the man added. "If you want me to aid you, then you've got to do something for me."

"Tch, you're seriously asking payment from your own son? What kind of father are you?" I remarked.

"Ah, but you're gonna be a father soon, am I right?" He countered. "Then you're on the same level as me. And trust me, raising a child is hard work that you'll definitely ask them to repay you someday," the person sighed.

Sighing myself, I asked. "So, what is it that you want me to help you with? Guarding the place, cleaning, scouting, accompanying you from dying of boredom? What is it?"

Grinning, he took out something from his pocket and placed it on bus desk. "Easy, I want you to become a test subject for the immortality serum that I'm making."

Disbelievingly, I stared at the definitely mad scientist. "You're seriously asking your own son to become your lab rat?" I ask with skepticism.

"Oh no, I am not kidding, Yuuta. I'm wholly serious," my father replied. "You see, before I have only used the prototypes I've developed on the undeads, and I have to say that my work had been steadily progressing. However, I am still a human and not an undead, and so, the result might not be so effective on me. That is why, I need a living human being to test the serum with and further my research. You understand, right?"

"Unfortunately, I do understand," I responded dejectedly. "But I'm sorry to inform you but I've also been infected before, and purified, so I may not be fully human for your experiment."

Unexpectedly, he laughed at my statement. "Oh, Yuuta. You're never fully human to begin with, you should realize that by now."

"What do you mean?"

"Oops, I've said too much. The time has not yet come for you to know the truth," I cocked my head confusedly. "As for your argument, well, I'll deal with that matter after the experiment on you is finished."

"I'm not getting out of this, am I?" He nodded. "Such misfortune." Closing my eyes, I asked again. "What are the risks?"

"You don't have to worry too much about the risks of the test," Dad assured me. "The worst that could happen is for to turn into an undead while the most favourable outcome could result in you becoming fully immortal. It's not that bad of a deal, right?" He smiled.

Thinking for a few seconds, I came to the conclusion that it may be worth in helping him. After all, I'm certain that I won't turn into an undead again, and I have to admit, being immortal or at least having a long lifespan does seems interesting. The others can take care of themselves, I trust Shuuya and Kurumi to protect them all. Assisting my father in his mad research huh? Though, there's still something I need to do. "Alright, I agree to your terms. I'll help you in these tests as long as you uphold your promise to help me find my friends," father nodded to himself at that. "Now, hurry up and release me."

"That won't be a problem," he jogged to my seat. "Now hold still for a second." Untying the handcuffs chaining me to the chair, he turned the thing around… before I greeted him with a punch to the stomach with all my might.

The force of the punch sent him flying backwards all the way to the window, and crashing through it where he… fell down? 'Wait, did he really just fell from the building?' I pondered at what just happened, mouth gaping.

Ten seconds later, a hand reached up towards the windowsill, and the head of a person after that. "Ha, that was really dangerous. You shouldn't kill me this early, Yuuta."

"What? But, how?" I sputtered, not knowing how he managed to not fall down.

"There's another chamber here," Dad pointed back behind the broken window. "It's a safety precaution in case someone wants to throw some chairs out of a window and still be able to recover them back," he explained casually. "But still, good thing I didn't pass though the actual window of the chamber. That would just be awful."

I was not amused when I heard the explanation. "That's doesn't make sense, but then again I'm not sure if you have any left at this point," I facepalmed.

Brushing the glass shards from his coat, he approached me and patted my shoulder. "Don't worry, you'll get used to this soon," I'm not sure if I want to get used to being with this side of him. "But yeah, this reminds me of the time when I first met Mina. How nostalgic this is," he turned to face me. "Do you want to hear about it?"

"I do not," I flatly refused. "I know what happened. Mom told me about it in the past."

"Yes, but you only heard the story from her, remember? You never heard it from me, of what actually happened." I have to admit, he's right. For some reason, she would get violent and embarassed when Dad was the one mentioning it. "So, let me tell you the story of how exactly I met Mina." This is going to be long, I just knew it.

~~~~~~~

In a certain university building, on a cloudless day at noon, a person leaned against the wall in the hallway, a piece of paper in his hand.

Greetings, Kenji.

How do you fare in the city? Are you studying hard? You're the first person in our village to enter K university, and we're proud of you for that. But you should not forget about taking care of your health. Try to cook something occasionally instead of just eating takeouts. Make some friends in your place, instead of just holing in your room like you did during high school. We care about you.

The rest of us are doing fine here in the village. Your father misses you though since he doesn't have a good sparring partner anymore. Ai and Koi are having their marriage ceremony this summer, so try to come back home for that. Suki is still picking fights at school. That girl, she's very hard to control. Meanwhile Kazoku has started her training and progressing well thus far, though she a little bit clumsy. As for me, you should know what I'm doing in my spare time. The flowers have to be taken care of, after all.

To the main reason for this letter, have you found someone yet? You're in your second year of college and you're still not married. That is not good. Your father and I have you when we're at Ai's age, and you're well past that. While I understand that you want to pursue your studies first, you shouldn't neglect on your family life. It wouldn't be for the son of the Kiriha family to remain single for long. Inform us when you met her so that she can be introduced to our family.

Ending this letter, I hope you're living well in the city and stay healthy, mind and body. Don't forget to visit us here in the village.

From your mother, Kiriha Sae

Sighing, the person adjusted his glasses and folded the letter, inserting it in the breast pocket of his shirt. "Mother, did she not know that I have no time in something like dating a girl? There's more important things than that such as my research," the boy known as Kiriha Kenji looked out of the window. "Still, I should probably head back home this summer to attend Ai and Koi's wedding. A spar with father wouldn't be bad either."

As Kenji continue to ponder about his family back home, he looked at his watch and sighed. "I'm late, Shiiko should be in the lab by now," flexing his shoulders, he strode along towards his destination.

'But still, a girl eh? That's not actually an unpleasant thought. I'll have to find one eventually after all,' Kenji closed his eyes and began to wonder. 'Straight long black hair, a little shorter than me, moderate chest size; yes, that would be the best."

As the boy continue to imagine, another person rounded the corner and collided into him. "Kyaah!"

"Whoa!" Surprised, Kenji stepped back in response but slipped on a piece of paper fallen from the person and stumbled forward towards them.

When the Kiriha son opened his eyes a few seconds later, he was staring face to face with the person. What's more, their lips were touching squarely on each other.

As soon as the other person realized this, their face immediately turned a mad shade of red and pushed Kenji backwards with much strength.

Returning to his senses, the boy touched his lips and stared at the person he just collided into. It was a girl with long black hair, clear green eyes, small chest and a very short stature.

~~~~~~~

"Wait a minute!" Yuuta interrupted the flashback, pausing the scene. "That's can't be Mom, is she?" He pointed at the very short girl. "I mean, she's shorter than Ruiko, and she's in middle school! Are you sure she's supposed to be at the university?"

Holding a hand up, Kenji tried to calm his son. "I understand your reactions, Yuuta, and I assure you that that is your mother, and she is of the same age as me, though the difference in sizes."

"If that really is Mom, how did she grow up from that to a normal height in several years?" Yuuta questioned.

His father rubbed his chin and looked away. "Hmm, that is truly a mystery, isn't it? But Yuki-san is a shorter than average girl too, isn't she?" He said.

"That may be true, but she can still grow, I think," mumbled the boy.

"Then let me finish the story first, before we discuss about that," Kenji replied.

~~~~~~~

Still somewhat shocked from the incident, Kenji awkwardly raised a hand to greet the girl. "Err, hello?"

"You…" the girl glared at him and pointed her finger accusingly. "What did you do!? That was my first kiss!" She screamed.

"Sorry?" The accused boy rubbed the back of his head. "That was my first too, so, are we even?"

The glare from the girl intensifies as her face turns redder from embarrassment and anger. "Hell no!" In one single leap, she jump kicked Kenji in the stomach, pushing him out through the third floor's window. "DIE!"

"Waah!" The boy screamed as he fell towards the ground. He ended up crashing to the thick grass face first. "Ah… this sucks," graoned Kenji to the dirt. "That's not how I want to have my first kiss at all. This is definitely not a great day." He remained splattered on the ground after that.

Then, he heard the sound of footsteps beside him. "Are you okay?" He heard a question, and raised his head to see the person better. "That was quite the drop you had. Are you injured anywhere?"

"Only my pride is injured," Kenji answered. "And perhaps my abdomen, but they'll heal in time," getting on his feet, he brushed the grass and soil from his clothes. A hand holding a handkerchief came from beside him.

"Here," after mouthing a thanks and cleaning his glasses and face, the recently-fallen boy turned to greet the one greeting him. "Kimura Hisao. We've met, you reside in the room in the same hallway as me, correct?" The brown haired boy, Hisao, said.

Returning the handkerchief, Kenji replied. "Yes, I've seen you before, mostly in the campus library too. Kiriha Kenji," he extended his hand.

~~~~~~~

Finishing his flashback, Kiriha Kenji, in present time, spun in his chair to face Yuuta. "And that's the story of Me and Mina's first meeting."

After hearing the story, Yuuta couldn't help but stare at his father incredulously. "Just how did you manage two managed to get together from that first impression? Are you sure she's of legal age when you two married? Who's that person appearing at the end, your friend? And, Mom's surprisingly violent in her younger years."

"How we got together you say?" The elder Kiriha quirked an eyebrow. "Fate works in mysterious ways you see, and it's not immediate that we gained feelings for each other. Yes, I repeat, Mina is the same age as me, despite her appearance. If you're talking about Hisao, he's actually the only close friend I had in university even though we're in different course, he studied physics while I chose medicine. And yeah, she's probably what you would call a violent but true tsundere in today's terms. Her kicks were really painful and hard to dodge."

Quietness exists after that exchange, as both Kiriha males looked at each other. Yuuta was the one to speak first. "So, what should we do now?"

"Well, you can go rest in one of the rooms available in the building. Chose whichever you like. We're finished for today, but tomorrow will bring with it a new start for us, so prepare yourself. Any food or drinks that you want you can find in the kitchen." Yuuta slightly nodded and stepped towards the door before he heard Kenji's voice again. "I probably don't have to tell you this, but there's no use if you want to escape, but I'll said it anyway. Also, I'm always awake so I'll appreciate if you don't try to kill me after this, though I have no doubt that you'll still try."

"Is that all?" Yuuta turned around, annoyed at his warnings though he knew that he knew what he's thinking about, and they're all right.

"There's more," came the reply. "If you want, we could resume your sword training. There's many more that you should learn as the heir of the family. And who knows, perhaps you can kill me in practice, of you can of course."

A grin formed on the boy's face, and he spoke confidently. "I accept your challenge."

"And I accept this responsibility." The father uttered.

This will take a long time.


	26. Chapter 26: Various Places

Chapter 26 - Various Places

"Ah~ It's been a long time since I've had a real shower!" Said Kurumi as she exited the bathroom, a towel around her neck.

"Don't waste the water too much, senpai. There are others waiting for their turn," chided her underclassmen, Miki, who had stripped her clothes and clad in a bath towel. "Now hand over the soap please."

"Hai hai," the older girl complied and Miki entered the shower area. Turning on the knob, hot water came pouring out.

"Still, it's very fortunate that we found another unoccupied shelter bunker, isn't it, Kurumi-senpai?" Said the white-haired girl as she washed her body.

Putting on her shirt, the senior replied. "Yeah, the water's still running, there's electricity, and the food supply can last us a few months at best. I say we can live here for a while without going outside."

"I'm still worried though."

"About Yuki?"

Miki nodded. "Yes, it's been a week since we left the virus facility and she's been acting weird ever since."

"It's no wonder," Kurumi picked up her shovel. "You understand the reason why, don't you?"

"Yuuta-senpai…" the whitehead answered.

"Seriously, that guy's a real jerk," spoke Kurumi. "He just had to stay and blow the whole place up, huh!? Acting like such a hero, didn't he think about Yuki's feelings at all!?" She slammed her fist into the wall. "Ha, I'm pissed just thinking about it."

Water continued pouring down in Miki's still body. "That's true, perhaps he really doesn't think about everyone else at all," the girl chuckled sadly.

"Alright, that's enough bad talking for one day," suddenly, the bathroom door opened and in came Yuuri. "Dinner is almost ready so hurry up you two." She clapped her hands.

"Ah, I forgot! I'll go now, see ya at the table, Miki!" Kurumi rushed out of the room.

"Now then, you hurry up too, Miki-san," urged the brown haired girl as she turns to exit.

"Ri-san, how is Yuki-senpai doing?" Asked Miki from the shower, her eyes trained on Yuuri's back.

Without turning around, the older girl replied. "She's fine, don't worry," before walking out, leaving Miki alone in the area.

* * *

"Alright, dinner is served!" Said Yuuri to everyone sitting on the table. "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu!" Repeated Kurumi, Miki, Shuuya and Yuki.

"Oh, finally, some beef cream stew!" Kurumi scooped some of the soup into her mouth. "Ah, so good! You're cooking's the best, Ri-san!"

The cook giggled at the compliment. "Now then, there's plenty left, so fill up everyone." The other four cheered.

"Hey hey, don't you think this cream stew is like Mii-kun?" Spoke Yuki cheerily.

"What do you mean by that, Yuki-san?" Shuuya asked out.

"Well, it's white and it has a nice and creamy flavour, just like our Mii-kun!" The pink haired girl explained.

The said girl blushed at those words. "Mou, what are you saying senpai, that makes no sense."

"Perhaps we should lick and eat you up to see if it's true or not," Kurumi made a scary face and the others besides Miki laughed.

"Hehehe, you agree too right, Yuu-kun?" Questioned Yuki to the empty space beside her, and the laughing ceased to exist. "Yuu-kun?"

The table was quiet for a moment before Kurumi decided to speak out. "Err, Yuki? Yuuta's…"

"Oh yeah, I forgot. Yuu-kun's not here with us, right?" Yuki said to the others with a bright smile on her face.

"Err, yes. That's right" Kurumi replied awkwardly.

The pink haired girl stared at the soup before her and closed her eyes. "Sorry sorry, it's just that…" the spoon in her hand began to tremble slightly and she suddenly rose up from her seat. "Ri-san, I'm done eating. I'll be in my room then." Before long she's already running out of the dining room.

"Yuki-san, wait!" Shuuya tried to chase her but was held back by someone.

"Leave her be, Shuuya-kun. She needs a little time off right now," spoke Yuuri. "I'll bring her food to her room later so she's not hungry."

The redhead relents without a word and sat back down. The atmosphere at the table was still with silence as everyone went back to eating slowly.

"She's been like that ever since we returned from that place without Yuuta," Kurumi voiced out her thoughts.

"Yes," the club president answered without opening her eyes.

"I still say we should search for him in that place but no, we just have to leave right away instead of finding him and chewing his ear out for worrying us with that sort of action," complained an angered Kurumi.

"We have no choice, senpai," Miki calmly opened her mouth. "The place was still burning when we landed and the area could be filled harmful radiations or poisonous gasses or worse, we could be easily infected just by entering that area."

Kurumi stood up and her chair flipped over. "Don't you all worry about him and Yuki? There's a limit to being understanding and calm, you know!"

"It's going to be alright, Kurumi-san," Shuuya smiled despite the death glare Kurumi was giving him. "Yuki-san wouldn't be here with us anymore if her loved one is gone. Because of that, I'm sure he's still alive and will come back to us in the future."

"How can you be sure of that?" Asked Kurumi, from her voice leaked out a little sense of hope.

"Hmm, friend's intuition, perhaps?"

* * *

"I'm back," said Yuki as she entered her assigned room in the bunker. "It's weird saying that when there's no one to greet you back," wondered the girl before she fell towards the futon on her backside.

The girl rolled from side to side on the futon. "It feels weird not having someone to sleep with you and keep you warm," her hand went over to her crotch. "And it's been a while since we've done it too," she stopped just before touching herself directly.

Lifting her hand, she caught sight of the ring on her finger. "Connected by our hearts until we die, is that really true," without warning, tears flow from her eyes. "Is that really true?" She covered her face.

Rolling over to her side, Yuki brought a hand to her stomach. "Don't worry, child. I'm sure you'll be safe with me here. Yuu-kun will return one day, and I know he'll be happy to see you," she said with tears still flowing.

"That said, I'm still hungry," the pink head proclaimed. I should at least eaten the stew before leaving. This is Yuu-kun's fault," she pouted but smiled a while later. "When you're hungry, go to sleep, is what I've heard. Guess I'll just do that for now," Yuki said with a yawn and fetched something from above her head.

"Good night, Yuu-kun," and with that, Yuki slept, clutching the sword Tamashiha in her arms.

* * *

"Aahh~"

Waking up, I yawned loudly for the first time in a week. The soft bed and blanket really warms and comforts you in the autumn weather. I felt like I dreamt something sad but the memory is fading fast from me. Moreover, why was I sleeping in a bed when just a few days before I was not sleeping at all? Where am I?

…Or so I would like to say but I won't say that kind of cliché line this time since the previous times have brought not so great results for me. Instead, what I should do is get up normally and go meet the other person living in this place.

And so, I got out of bed, opened the door and exited the room. "Okay, let's see if I can find him in this maze of a building."

Aside from being badly shortsighted, I also had a quite bad sense of direction, more from the fact that I like to go wherever I wanted to instead of the supposed destination. And in this place of many rooms, it's going to be a pain to find one person.

… Or so it should've been, but since I know he's going to be in just one room which I've been before, it's not going to be so challenging, provided I stay focused in that direction.

And thus, lo and behold I arrived at the research lab in which that person is currently sitting on a chair, facing away from me. 'This is a great opportunity, to kill him right here and now.'

Thinking that I sped up towards his position with fingers closed, ready to separate his head from the body.

…Or so it should've been, but why am I currently lying on my back on the ground right now?

"Ah Yuuta, I see you're already awake," Dad said with a smile, his hand veering close to my neck. "My my, you're so lively first thing in the morning. I never remembered you to be like this."

"Things change, and instincts can drive you to make really stupid things," I replied, trying to get up.

Father offered a hand and I grabbed it, standing up again. "That is so true, but that's not of concern here," jumping back, he took a fighting stance and spoke. "So, are you ready to stake your life for my research and reuniting with your companions?"

"First thing in the morning?" I complained unbelievably. "Isn't there something that should be done first before that?"

That question seemed to bring him to think. "Hmm, you're right. I suppose there is something you should be doing first in the morning."

"Right, right, for example, bre-"

"Here," an object came flying towards me and I caught it. "Make sure not to use it too much or you'll be tired later."

'Wha? What is this thing?' Looking at the thing in my hand, it seemed to be a cylindrical object with an opening at one end, and the insides felt… soft? The softness felt familiar and it took several more seconds before I realized what the object is.

"I don't need this!" I exclaimed, throwing the you-know-what at the floor, where it bounces perfectly towards a table. "I'm not that horny in the morning!"

"Oho… says the newlywed. I imagine you're still in your honeymoon mood, right?" Dad smirks, making me want to punch him even more. "It's not good to keep everything inside, just release it and you'll feel very refreshed, you know?" The man continued to speak.

Feeling anger and embarrassment rise up within me, I clenched my fist and tried to calm down, so as not to amuse him further. Breathing in and out slowly, my mind went back to the important matter at hand. "I'm ready for whatever it will take for me to meet Yuki again."

"That's good," surprisingly, Dad spoke seriously and does not continue teasing me. "You managed to stay calm, even when being purposely agitated. Most people in your position would let their emotions consume them and do very stupid acts and suffer from them. As expected of you, Yuuta." He clapped a little.

"I will take that compliment, even if I'm not perfect," I said since it's true that there's a higher chance of me raging at him than calming down. But that's what I'm after, to control my emotions better and improve my skills, even if it's only to turn back on him.

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Father took off his lab coat and stood a few distances across from me. "Alright Yuuta, let's start this training now," he took on a fighting stance. "Come to me whenever you're ready."

"Right now?" I questioned. "Shouldn't I be having breakfast first? And doesn't your research takes priority? And just after I woke up?" I threw up my thoughts at him.

"A meal tastes better after you're done working out a sweat, I'll start the research after we're done eating, you're fully awake now, aren't you?" The man calmly answers my questions.

Sighing, I also took my striking position. "I don't have a choice, do I?" He shook his head. "Alright then, I'll make sure to earn that meal!"

* * *

"But in the end, I still lost huh?" Lying on the ground with bruises on my body, I contemplated my defeat. "I thought this would happen."

"Knowing of the results, you still took this path," my father approached me. "Your lack of faith in yourself disturbs me, but since it allows me to win, I'll consider this my luck," he extends a hand towards me. "Next time, try to believe in yourself more. You'll just embarrass our family with that level of skill."

I grasped his hand, not much different than mine even in size, and rise up from the floor. "I'll keep that in mind next time we spar."

"Good, now let's go eat something. Unfortunately, there's only canned food here, since I ate all the fresh food first, but not to worry, there's still much variety left for you to choose," Father boisterously stated. "We'll start on the tests on you after we're done like I said earlier. But while we're eating, I can tell you more about how I and your mother met," he continued talking. "Doesn't that seem exciting?"

Glancing sideways, I answered awkwardly. "Yeah, sounds fun… not much on the tests though." Truthfully, I shouldn't be spending too much time here, everyone's waiting for me after all, but going out without any sort of guidance is much more dangerous and probably time-consuming. "However, remember our deal." I reminded him seriously.

"Yes, I'm aware of that," he answered nonchalantly. "The equipment needs some major repairing and between my research and training you, it will most likely take several months for the machine to be fully operational."

'Several months?' I stared at him with shock.

He seemed to notice my look and spoke again assuringly. "Don't worry, I can guarantee that I'll find where your companions are staying when the time comes, and you will make it in time to see your firstborn child. This, I promise you," he smiled kindly, almost as if he's honestly believing that statement.

"Either way, I don't have a better choice, do I?" I sighed.

"Hmm… perhaps?" Dad smirked widely. "But for now, let's not think too much about the future and focus on filling our stomachs first," saying that, he strides forward cheerfully towards the eating area. Thinking about it, I should probably follow him fast before I got lost.

It won't do for me to lose spirit this early after all.

* * *

Omake

"H-H-Hey, Maki-chan," the voice of a little girl could be heard in the room. Her messy red hair even messier than usual as she rose up from her futon.

Right next to her, annoyed at being woke up, a little blonde girl of same age rubbed her eyes and spoke rudely. "What?"

"C-C-Can you come w-with me to the b-bathroom?" The girl asks her friend in a shaky voice.

"Go on your own, Ryuuko," Maki turned her down and wrapped herself in her blanket more tightly. "It's just at the end of the hallway."

Ryuuko did not move and spoke more. "B-B-But, it's scary this late at night, a-a-and ghosts might appear!" She looked around, almost as if expecting a ghost to appear from the dark corners of the room.

"Ryuuko, there's undeads right outside our building, and you're worried about ghosts?" Maki uttered in disbelief. "I knew you shouldn't be watching those ghost movies with Touko-san but did you hear me? No~ you don't. And now you're scared to even go to the bathroom."

"B-B-But you'll accompany me, r-right?" The red-haired girl was trembling now, either from terror or holding her urges in, or both. "P-Please, I'll do anything you ask tomorrow, I'll finish all my homework and I'll wash your hair and massage your shoulders and, and…" she trailed off.

Sighing, Maki lifted herself up from the bedsheets and grabbed her friend up. "Alright, I'll come with you, lest you wet yourself here and I'll have to clean it up."

"T-T-That's mean, Maki-chan. I can c-clean myself up j-just fine," even while shaking, Ryuuko can still retort.

"Yes yes, let's just get this over with and get back to sleep," the blonde girl replied with disinterest and picked a flashlight before the two walked out of the room, their greatest mistake that day.

Walking down the hallway, Maki led the way while Ryuuko held onto her shoulders, glancing over her own shoulders every second. Their steps echoed in the quiet space, darkness enveloping their surroundings with only the light in their giving them guidance and protection from the terror of the night. Occasionally, the pair could hear the groans of the undeads from outside the building, a reminder of the state of their world.

"Maki-chan, are we t-t-there yet?" Asks Ryuuko, her eyes staring at the broken windows for anything that might appear.

"It's not that far, Ryuuko," Maki replied, though one could faintly hear the slight fear in her voice. She focused her eyes on the light forward and tried to ignore any sounds that she heard.

Clinging tightly to her friend's shirt, Ryuuko asks again. "H-H-Hey, Maki-chan, are we there yet? T-This hallway seems to be l-longer than usual." The fear in her voice is not even hidden.

"T-That's just a trick of your m-mind," even Maki have begun to stutter in her words. "This is just the usual hallway, and we're almost near the bathroom," she stopped and shined at the door. "L-Look, here we are."

However, Ryuuko didn't rush over into the room and instead kept holding Maki's shirt. "M-M-Maki-chan, c-could you please… come inside with me?"

"What?" Maki shouted. "No, go inside yourself. I'll just stay here until you're done," she denied her request.

"P-P-Please, Maki-chan?" The red-haired girl begged with wide eyes. "I-I can't go in by myself."

Glancing left and right, where the darkness stared back at her, Maki replied. "W-Well, I guess I can allow it this once since you begged for it," she laughed nervously and entered the bathroom. "Now h-hurry up."

Stepping inside the small cubicle, Ryuuko closed the door slowly as Maki leaned against the other side. Shining the light around her while waiting, the sound of running water could be heard and the door opened again.

"I'm done," exclaimed Ryuuko with a satisfied look on her face. She then felt a piece of cloth fall on top of her.

"Good, now wipe your hands and let's go back to our room," said Maki and the two exited the bathroom.

"CRASH"

As soon as they stepped out, a crashing sound of something falling and breaking from fragility could be heard a few distances. Both girls immediately turned their heads towards the sound source as their body trembled.

"W-W-What was that?" Questioned Ryuuko, clinging to Maki's shirt again.

"I-I-It's n-nothing, it m-must be one of the club members f-falling at the stairs, I'm s-sure of it," the blonde girl answered, though uncertainty is present in her voice. "B-But just to be safe, l-let's not go and see who's there, o-okay?"

The clinging girl nodded, and they both took a step towards their room.

"CRASH"

However, the sound returned again and seemed closer this time, prompting the two little girls to halt their step and froze.

"T-T-That must be T-Touko-san, right?" Ryuuko spoke in the still and dark hallway.

"Y-Yeah, it must be, or H-Hika-san," replied Maki, her flashlight thoroughly focused ahead of her. "L-Let's not interrupt them then."

Not receiving any reply from her friend, Maki took a step forward, and another one, and another… before the crashing noise could be heard again.

"CRASH"

*mumble mumble*

This time, a mumbling voice reached the girls' ears, and fear began to creep even further into their hearts.

"M-M-Maki-chan, I'm s-scared," voiced Ryuuko, her whole body trembling. "P-Perhaps we should l-look who's making the noise."

With shaking legs, Maki answered. "I-If that will c-calm down your heart, t-then I guess I have no c-choice," she gripped the flashlight tight. "Stay close to me."

Moving together forward slowly, the two friends approached the corridor where the sound was coming from. Another loud sound was heard from the place, and they barely managed to contain their screams. Quietly, stealthily, slowly, assuredly, carefully, and fearfully, they ventured forward.

What awaits them around the corner was the sight of several human bodies, _decomposing_ human bodies, standing still on the floor, their hollow eyes staring into their soul. The scent was real, as was the texture of the skin, and the fear they felt was also real. The only difference would be that they don't seem to be moving a limb.

Frozen in place for a few seconds, Maki and Ryuuko tried to step back from the unidentified human bodies and sprint away from that coordinate. Unfortunately, when they turned to the side, another object stands in their way and in their vision was another undead, but this one was moving, towards them.

It was then perhaps inevitable that the two girls would scream their hearts out so loud that the undeads outside the building noticed the noise.

After screaming, they didn't waste a second and ran away from the place, not looking into where they were going.

It was perhaps also inevitable that they would crash into another object. Slowly, they looked up and saw the pale face of a being staring back at them, hollow eyes and mouth in tattered clothes.

Stepping back, they hoped to make a run again, but the being crouched down without warning and spoke.

"What are you two doing this late?"

Again, inevitably it was that Ryuuko fell backwards, unconscious, on the floor, while Maki dropped down on her knees, a wet liquid flowing down her legs before she too dropped sideways from the pressure.

"What is with the two of them?" The pale being uttered, before hearing the sound of several steps approaching her.

"Yo, Aki! You found something?" The small figure of Touko appeared, her glasses gleaming in the flashlight. Behind her are Hika and Renya, both also holding a flashlight each.

"Yeah," Aki gestured to the two unconscious girls on the floor. "Apparently, these two girls are staying way past their bedtime. And they even interrupted my beauty sleep, and this is the last masker I have too."

Arriving at the scene, Touko flashed on the sight before her and sighed. "Looks like we have to clean the floor again, and Aki, I've told you not to walk out wearing that. Anyone would be scared in the night, especially these kids," she exclaimed.

"Hey, I'm not that scary," the other girl defended herself. It was at this time that another person joined them.

"Hmm… I apologize, but it seems that they caught sight of me moving my specimens around and the sounds and sight must've scared them," the resident researcher, Aosoi Shiiko greeted them. "They fled just as I was about to explain to them," looking at their unconscious bodies, she added. "To think they would still be scared of them."

"Err… I don't think you should be moving those things into the building," spoke Renya. "And why in the middle of the night?"

Shiiko lighted a cigarette up. "Precisely so no one would see them, of course."

"Haa…" Touko sighed deeply, adjusting her glasses. "We can talk about this later in the morning. For now, let's just go back to sleep. Hika, can you please carry Maki-chan? I'll carry Ryuuko-chan."

The meek girl nodded without a word and began lifting the prone figure of Maki.

Touko herself already having Ryuuko on her back, said to the others. "Alright, return to your rooms everyone, we've got two kids to take care of tomorrow, and you, Shiiko-san, have more explaining to do."

The others sighed and the Crew leader took towards Maki and Ryuuko's room. Internally, she sighed again.

When will everyone return?

* * *

I'm still alive! This story is not dead yet!

This story will end soon, I promise on my account that this will be completed before May of this year.

Well then, until next time. Ciao!


	27. Chapter 27: Fight, Fight, Go

Chapter 27 - Fight, Fight, Go

A fist flew past me, the wind rushing along my cheeks.

*FWOOSH*

I responded with a kick, but it was evaded.

*PUNCH*

Another fist approached me, and I guarded with my arms.

*KICK*

Immediately after, my arms were kicked upwards and my body was wide open for attacks.

*STRIKE*

I protected myself from the approaching jab to my abdomen with one knee, and used the other leg to retreat backwards.

*SWOOSH*

But I didn't even get a moments rest the distance between us were quickly reduced and a barrage of swift jabs assailed me.

*KUHH*

Barely managing to parry most of the strike, my body moved further back under the force of the attacks.

*HIYAH!!*

Until I saw an opening and put a foot forward, lowering myself under the jabs and brought both of my hands in a palm strike upwards.

*GAAHH!!*

The attack connected with their chest and their body flew upwards for a moment… but when he came down, he landed on both legs, seemingly unharmed and energetic.

"Good move, Yuuta."

In case you haven't realized it by now, I, Kiriha Yuuta, am sparring with my father, Kiriha Kenji in another one of our daily practice.

"This is good, You've managed to dodge most of my attacks and give some yourself. Looks like you do inherit this fight style after all," Dad says.

"But this is not my full power," I replied, not taking my eyes of him. "And this is nowhere near your full strength, isn't that right?"

Moving around his body to a position I learned now as a sign that he's being serious, father responded. "Of course. If the both of us go all out then we'll both undeniably die, and that's very troublesome, not to mention I'll break my promise of helping you," closing his eyes, I readied myself for what's to come. "Then again, it's useless if you don't fully learn all of this."

"If you can do this, then so can I," I positioned myself in the same stance as him. "I am also a member of the Kiriha family, and as your son I can do anything better than you."

His wide smirk is visible in the morning darkness. "Quite vain you are, don't you think? Well then, why not we put that to the test," his eyes narrowed and gazed seriously at me. "Don't hold back on me, and don't expect myself to hold back on you either."

I nodded, accepting this challenge. "Surely, you will lose this time."

Putting a little more distance from each other, our gaze flew across the room. Simultaneously, we called out.

"Seven Moves, Eight Divisions!"

In a second, we both rushed forward, arms ready to strike. The first punch hit each other; the strike to the sides were cancelled out; when he dropkicked I guard with my knee; when I strike he did the same; the left jab also hit each other; we both strike each other's shoulder blades; and the final, right jab… stopped close to our hearts.

Breathing roughly from the sudden burst of actions, we stood silent for a few seconds, enduring the pain on our shoulders and chest as blood splattered our shirts.

Father was the first to move.

"Aahh, I can't believe you managed to copy my movements in such a short time," Dad whined, throwing his arms in the air. And it took me a lot of time to train my body to learn it too."

Standing straight, I breathed in and out to calm myself. "Does this mean that I've beaten you now?"

He smirked, not a good thing. "Of course not." In the blink of an eye, he appeared before me again. "Prepare yourself."

Despite his words, I was not able to prepare myself and was met with a butterfly palm strike to the chest.

"Rafflesia!"

I was met with another butterfly palm strike, and three more forming a petal pattern on my chest. In my pain, I could see him preparing another strike. Not willing to die so easily, I quickly moved my hand to intercept.

"Not this time!" Succeeding in guarding from the attack, I landed on the ground and just plain punched him in the face.

Father collapsed onto the ground unceremoniously, and just like that, our spar has really ended.

Wiping off the sweat on my forehead, I glanced around at the room I'm in right now. It's been several months since I've arrived in this company for shelter and information. I've finally remembered the pathways and corridors in this building and navigate myself. Since there are only two living humans in this huge building, I'm free to explore the rooms as I want, not that there's anything interesting in here, though there was one room where I'm not allowed to enter and locked with a password.

I patted my chest, at the place where my heart is situated, and saw how the wound has already began to patch itself and the blood loss had stopped. This, is one of the things that I got when I partake in Dad's experiment for the immortality serum. Increased regenerative abilities and reduced cell aging. Essentially I will heal very fast from any wounds that I was inflicted upon and I will presumably live a life longer than most humans; and this all from just the prototype serums he made. The completed elixir is supposed to grant instantaneous regenerating and completely halt the aging process. That's what Father is aiming for, and I must admit, it does feel awesome to know that you'll be very hard to kill.

Speaking of Father, he did not take any of the serum so he should be hurt just like any usual human now.

"Oww Oww Oww"

And sure enough, there he was clutching his heart in pain. He then took out some kind of medical patch and pasted it over his wounded heart.

"Hah, I admit, Yuuta, you've really won this time," he stood up and complimented me. "I guess I shouldn't expect less from you after all, one who managed to survive this long in the outside world and inside here."

I nodded in shallow acknowledgement. "Hai hai, I'm happy for that, but now that I won, tell me where my friends are staying." Yes, the spar that just occured just now was the result of him not willing to share the location of where Yuki and the others are until I won against him, and it's been like this for four days before I managed to beat him. "Keep your promise."

Sighing, he looked at me in the eyes amusedly. "Guess I can't keep you here forever, can I?" Struggling to his feet, he shambled towards his desk and opened the computer, typing a few times before stopping. "But before that, what about hearing the last installment of 'How I Met Your Mother' as you packed?" Dad smiled widely at me.

"The last installment? I feel like we have skipped a few of what happened in the middle," I wondered idly.

"Oh Yuuta, you and your bad memory. But anyway, to start the story, it is when Mina was coming home with me over summer break…"

~~~

The gentle sound of the bullet train speeding over the tracks would not normally be heard, as the passengers would know to pass their time before arriving at their destination by their own, either by sleeping or hearing music or reading.

However, as the scenery outside the window remained an unchanging green of mountains, trees and overall nature, one passenger got naturally bored.

"Hah, I'm bored." Those words came from the mouths of a little girl with a hand under her chin, looking unamusedly at the view outside. "When will we arrive?"

The man sitting beside her sighed and adjusted his glasses. "You've been asking that for eight times already, Mina. You don't have to come if you don't want to."

"Are you saying you don't want me to visit your home village, Kenji!?" The girl known as Mina, who despite her looks and size is actually a college student, shouted at the man, earning some stares from those little passengers that were awake. "It's normal to want to visit your boyfriend's house, right? And since you've visited my home, it's only fitting that I got to visit yours too," she huffed and crossed her arms.

"Yeah, but… do you have to?" The man, Kenji, also a college student, sighed again. "There's nothing really interesting in my home village, that's the reason why I go to the city in the first place."

"And I've never seen the countryside before, don't you remember?" Asked Mina. "Mom and Dad were detached from their parents and we never even once visited my grandparents, even when I'm young. And when I said young I mean when I'm mentally young not physically, okay!" Mina stressed the part out when she saw Kenji looking at her with a smirk.

Closing the book he had been reading, Kenji then placed it in his bag and leaned back on the seat. "Well, I hope you'll enjoy your stay then, because we'll be arriving in a minute."

True to what he said, the train stopped at the small station of the village a minute later, and the two couple stepped out of the passengers car and breathed in the fresh countryside air.

"Ahh~ so this is what the countryside looks like! It's really like the one you see in photos and movies, but more real," Mina exclaimed as she bent over and swept her hand over some flowers growing by the roadside. "This feeling of softness, the air, the smell of grass, and the sounds of animals… this really is the countryside!" She shouted, earning a few stares from the farmers in their fields.

Taking her hand, Kenji pulled the girl and his luggage forward as he walked. "Don't shout like that, it's embarrassing enough that I'm bringing a girl home, I don't want the entire village to know that this early."

Pulling her own luggage, Mina replied. "Why? I'm sure none of them cares about what someone from their own village is doing."

"This is not like the city, news travels fast in a small community like this, but I suppose you didn't know that," his girlfriend grumbled at the comment. "So just stay close to me and don't make any loud sound. We'll arrive at my house soon."

Along the way, a middle aged farmer greeted them. "Ah, Kiriha-san, you've finally returned from the big city?"

"Yes, Nobu-san, I'm just returning for the summer break," Kenji smiled politely at the man.

"Haha, good good, you're responding much more warmly than before, that's nice," his gaze then landed on Mina. "And you've brought a girl back too, should've known you'll pick up a girl with that distant attitude sooner or later!"

"Yes, I'm in a hurry now so I will see you later, Nobu-san," the man replied loudly and let the two move on on their walk.

"Seems like he knows you really well," stated Mina.

Kenji scratched the back of his head. "Of course, everyone in this village knows me, regrettably."

Mina didn't have time to question further when a group of three highschool age looking girls noticed them and approached.

"Ah, is that Kiriha-san?" One of the girls greeted Kenji happily, while the other two stood at her side, also smiling. "When did you come back?"

"Just now," Kenji sighed, again. "I don't really want to deal with any of you right now, alright?"

"Hmm~ even if you looked slightly better with different glasses your attitude is still the same huh? It's such a shame, really it is, Kiriha-san," the girl exclaimed, before noticing Mina by Kenji's side. "Ah, but I see now, you've got your own girl now, so I guess that's alright."

"And as expected, it's a little girl," the girl to her right side commented, slightly angering Mina.

"It's not like we can be with him. We're related after all," the third girl meekly voiced.

Kenji coughed, and pulled Mina through the girls. "Anyways, it's nice seeing you three again, but I really should hurry up and visit my house, alright? See you later."

Mina stared at her boyfriend. "Can't believe you're popular with the girls here," she exclaimed with a hint of jealousy.

"It can't be helped, I'm one of the few guys here; other girls would naturally try to get my attention, even if I don't want to." Her boyfriend sighed, turning onto a road leading to a large house complex surrounded by ever growing trees and patches of farm land. Kenji stopped, and let Mina's hand go. "Well, this is my house."

The girlfriend stood before the building, impressed by the size and old design. "It's not too bad, I suppose? I was thinking it would've been smaller though."

"Thanks for the compliment. Let's get inside then," the man stepped forward, but froze when something pulled his sleeve.

"Wait," Mina exclaimed, her face suddenly turning a red colour. "I just realized now that we're meeting your family, right?" Kenji nodded. "W-W-What will they think of me? What if they dont like how I look? What if I make a bad impression on them? What if your siblings don't like me taking you away? What if your mother tried to kill me in my sleep? What if they think I'm too small!?" The girl wailed in exaggerated horror.

Kenji's response was to hold her hand tightly and marched forward to the front door. "Don't worry, my family will like you. Apart from the second-to-last question, you'll be fine." He tried to calm her down.

"O-Okay! I'm calm now, I'm calm now," Mina breathed in and out as they both stood before the door. "Alright, I'm ready!"

Reaching his hand to open the door, Kenji slide it open and called out. "I'm home!"

Two sets of footsteps were heard and before long, two figures appeared at the entrance. "Welcome back," they called out; two women with a slender and graceful figure, their orange eyes shining like dawn and dusk respectively, coupled with long black hair smoothly reaching their waist. Their expression calm and collected, though for a moment one could see a hint of surprise and happiness once they caught sight of the person before them. "Onii-sama!"

"Ai, Koi. Long time no see," greeted Kenji, and his two twin sisters rushed to hug him. All the while, Mina stood awkwardly at the side.

"That's enough, I think," Kenji spoke after half a minute. "Where are Mom and Dad and Suki and Kazoku?"

Releasing their brother from their hug, Ai replied. "Mother is cleaning the storage room and Father is resting in the back."

"Suki is sleeping in his room while Kazuko is training at the dojo," Koi added.

"That's good, so everyone's home at this time," glancing to his side, Kenji said further. "Can you please tell them I've returned?"

The twins saw the girl their brother had brought back and smirked slightly. "Very well, Onii-sama," they bowed and went inside the house.

"Err… your sisters seem very… how do I say this… perfect?" Mina spoke up unasured.

"They're not that perfect. They're still normal girls living their life normally," replied Kenji, picking up his luggage and taking off his shoes. "Come on in, I'll introduce you to the rest of my family," he reached out a hand to his girlfriend.

~~~

"So, this is who you brought back from the city, Kenji?"

Sitting down around a large table, a nervous Mina was currently looking downwards and averting the gaze of the peoples who're staring at her. Beside her is Kenji, his calm blue eyes looking straight into the blue eyes of the person across them, Kenji's Dad, Kiriha Tomoki, who looks exactly like him facially and physically. Beside him is his wife and Kenji's mother, Kiriha Sae, a woman who seemed to be elegance personified, her orange-coloured eyes seemingly burning through her soul and long brown hair tied in a bun.

"Yes, Dad."

Sitting at the other sides were Ai and Koi, their demeanor nothing short of gracefulness and composure. Opposite of them are two more of Kenji's sisters, Kiriha Suki, a middle school aged girl who seems openly bored with the gathering and the youngest child, Kiriha Kazoku, a cheerful kid who's smiling widely at the nervous girl.

"She looks a bit… underdeveloped, don't you think?"

'Ah, this is what I hate most!' Mina screams internally at the comment from Kenji's father. 'I know I'm small but you don't have to say it this early! Ah, I want to crawl into a hole and dissapear!'

As her girlfriend monolouged in despair, Kenji casually ruffled Mina's hair, earning a shriek from the girl, and replied. "Yes, just like how you and I like it, right?"

There was a pause after Kenji's words, a pause which is broken by Tomoki slamming his fist onto the table and exclaiming. "That's my boy! I know you'd realized it too someday!" He immediately bursted out laughing after.

"Wha-" Mina was overwhelmed by the sudden burst from Tomoki and just stared at the man bewilderingly before Sae opened her mouth and questioned her.

"What is your name, may I ask?" Kenji's mother asked with a soft voice that almost couldn't be heard, her smile bewitching.

"M-My name? Heiwazou Mina, nice to meet you!" The girl bowed her head and predictably crashed her head onto the table.

Rubbing her sore forehead, a person took this opportunity to get close to her. "Ne ne, Nee-chan, how did you met Onii-chan?" Asked Kazoku.

Hearing the question, Mina averted her eyes and mumbled something that sounds like "I don't remember, hahaha."

"She kicked me in the stomach in our first meeting," Kenji was the one to speak. "Through the window, from the third floor," he stated, voice monotonous and calm. "After I accidentally kissed her."

One could mistook Mina for a statue for a moment as her mouth opened in horror and froze… before she immediately berates her boyfriend with her hands, face as red as a tomato and having a crazed look in her eyes. "Why do you have to tell them of that! Don't you know how embarrassed I am! After all, that's all your fault! Your fault!"

After a minute of hitting Kenji in the head and arms, Mina finally realized what she was doing and where she was, her face turning even more red if that's even possible. Kenji, for his part, just sighed and rubbed his arm.

"Hahahaha! That's my boy! Choosing the aggressive type, huh!" Tomoki began laughing one more, his voice gilling the room. "Still, it's better than Sae. She tried to kill me even before we met face-to-face!"

The statement surprised Mina as well as the woman's action of suddenly smacking her husband's back whereas he abruptly lose his voice. The smile she gave her then was one that really gave her fear.

Smacking her husband once more in the back, Tomoki regains his voice back and coughed a little, before taking on a more serious face and said. "Well, now that you've introduced me to her, when are you two going to have the wedding ceremony?"

Mina promptly fell on her back at the question and immediately rose back with the same red face as before. "W-W-Wedding!? W-W-We're not ready for that yet, right, Kenji?" She glanced to the side.

"I don't mind, if that's what you want," the Kiriha son exclaimed with a stoic face. Looking at her girlfriend once again leaving her mouth open, he spoke. "I've said this before, haven't I? We'll stay together forever until the end. Do you not think that I wasn't serious?"

"B-But… But…" Mina's mouth opened and closed as she tried to comprehend what she was hearing from her boyfriend. "You want us to get married this quick!?"

Kenji shrugged. "Why not? Ai and Koi are having their wedding ceremony this month, aren't they? We could hold it at a close time if you're not against it."

"But this is too sudden, I'm still not mentally and emotionally prepared yet!" The girl practically shouted at his ears.

"You know, for someone who's studying to be an elementary school teacher you're really acting like a kid here," Kenji was not helping matters with his comment.

"That's enough of playing with her, Kenji," Sae spoke, placating the situation. Turning to Mina, she said. "Mina-san, you don't have to worry about this matter right now. Once you're really prepared, then we can talk about it more seriously, is that suitable for you?"

The girl in question hung her head downwards, embarrassed at her outburst. "I understand. I'm sorry," she bowed.

"Now that all this talk is over, let's go to the important matters!" Kenji's father exclaimed with energy, standing up as he did so. "You've grown more mature, Kenji. It is time…" he pointed his finger at his son. "…for you to prove your strength and inherit this family's will!"

A noticeable smirk appeared on Kenji's face. "If you're thinking that I've grown weak during my time in the city, then you're very wrong, Dad." Rising up from his seat, father and son stared at each other with flames burning in the background. "I'll make sure to defeat you completely this time!"

"Ara ara, this is interesting, is it not?" Sae giggled at the sight.

"Ara ara, this is very good for us too," Ai and Koi mirrored their mother's behaviour.

"I'm sure Onii-san will win this time!" Suki finally showed enthusiasm at the conversation.

"How exciting! It's been a long time since I've seen Onii-chan fight!" Said Kazoku cheerfully.

Only Mina was left confused at the conversation. "What's happening?"

~~~

"This is a big dojo alright," commented Mina upon entering the training building on the Kiriha family compound. "Why is it so big?"

"It's not just for this family's use," Kenji explained. "The other villagers would also cone here and be trained by our family members in weapon handling and martial arts." His hand touched the wooden wall. "Our family also used to be larger in the past, but after the war, times and customs change."

"Hmm, I see," Mina nodded. "By the way, why are we here?" She asked, seeing as the entire Kiriha family was there and Tomoki stretching his body.

"We're having a little spar, of course," answered Kenji casually. "Dad wants me to prove my strength against him, and that's what I'll do."

"That is correct," as if on queue, Tomoki appeared, a sword in his hands. "However, since it's quite some time since I saw you fight, I'll let you have a warm up first." He then promptly gave the sword to Kenji.

"That is, a duel against us," spoke Ai and Koi, standing side by side at the center of the floor with a naginata in their hand. "We'll be your opponent first, Onii-sama, for we too wish for a win against you."

Walking slowly towards the twins, Kenji drew the blade from its sheath and face his sisters with a confident look. "I shall see how strong you've two grown in my absence."

"Mina-san," the girl heard her name being called and saw Sae beckoning her to come. "It'll be dangerous for you to be so close so come sit with us here," she patted the space beside her, where her other two daughters are sitting.

Mina complied, and asks a question. "Just to be sure, they're just having a mock practice with fake weapons, right?"

"Why would they be using fake weapons? That's so boring," Suki commented. "There's nothing better than the thrill of fighting for your life against your siblings. I have my own naginata too, if you want to try using it," she pulled the weapon in question from behind her.

"What!? But wouldn't that be dangerous?" Mina questioned in shock.

"Don't worry, Nee-chan," Kazoku smiled at her. "Ai-Nee and Koi-Nee won't be fighting Onii-chan if they're not strong enough, and they're both really strong!" The girl stated proudly.

The city girl however was not completely assured. "Kenji, make sure you don't get hurt," she cheered. "Ah, but it's not like I care if you get hurt or something, it's just that I want to see you win, that's all!" Mina added after.

"She is a very interesting girl, Onii-sama," Ai commented upon hearing the cheer. "Do all girls in the city behave like that?"

"Not every girl is like her. She's just a little… special," replied Kenji.

"Should we behave like that too?" Koi asked. "It would be amusing to see how Takeru-kun and Kaito-kun would react," she smiled.

"They would probably be confused if you two act like that," the brother gave his opinion. "Though of course, since they're non-identical twins, their reaction will be different." He raised his sword and left hand. "But we can talk more after this. I'm also curious to see if you two will manage to defeat me after all this time."

The twins crossed their weapons together and spoke simultaneously. "Do not underestimate us. We'll show you how a daughter of the Kiriha family should fight," they took their fighting stance.

Seeing as his children are ready, Kiriha Tomoki called out. "The match between Kiriha Kenji against Kiriha Ai and Koi shall begin… now!"

As soon as Tomoki announce the start of the match, the sisters immediately rushed forward, flanking both sides of their brother and slashing the head of naginata at his waist.

*CLANG*

But the blade only crossed against each other as their opponent had disappeared from the spot. At the moment of the attack, Kenji already predicted their actions and stepped away from the spear's reach, before jumping forward with sword in his hand heading towards Ai.

*CLASH*

The blade of the sword met the pole of Ai's naginata, who parried it to the side and attacked with the butt end of the pole. Beside her, Koi prepared to thrust her spear into Kenji's body.

However, both attack missed again as their brother wisely lowered his body onto the floor, attacking the back of Koi's knee and causing her to lose her balance and fell.

Only for her hand to be caught by Ai who threw her in the air while she herself rushed forward, the tip of the blade pointing downwards. Koi who's temporarily floating in the air brought her own weapon over her head for a slash.

*CLANG*

Both attacks were blocked by Kenji planting his sword in front of him, stopping Ai's attack, and using his other hand to slap Koi's naginata at just the right moment to send her weapon to the side, whereas she fell down and immediately hit by the hilt of Kenji's sword in the stomach.

Not discouraged by her twin being down at the moment, Ai began thrusting rapidly at her opponent's figure. Each strike though were parried by Kenji's blade and his left hand, the spear only managing to tear the edge of his shirt.

After several dozen thrusts and parries, the man slide sideways and jabbed at the hand that held Koi's naginata. Releasing the weapon in reflex, she just barely managed to guard herself from Kenji's elbow strike.

The woman landed near her recuperating sister, who immediately went to retrieve her spear. "You're really strong, Onii-sama."

Not fazed by Koi's words, Kenji casually picked her sister's weapon and threw it at her. "And you two have become stronger too. Usually, the fight would've ended at this moment," he offered his hand at them. "So, are you two going to show me your true strengths?"

Positioning themselves side by side, the girls smirked dangerously. "Only if you would fight to the fullest too!"

With Ai's words, the twins rushed again into the fight. Keeping their distance, they circled around Kenji and attacked relentlessly, leaving the guy to defend himself from two sides.

*CLANG* *CLASH* *PING* *SHWING*

The clash of blades heard continuously as the battle continues. Neither side giving up, attacking and defending without slowing down.

Finally, one moment occired where Ai and Koi coordinated their attacks so that their blade are pointing directly at their brother's body. Front and back surrounded, without any time to evade or parry both attacks, Kenji was doomed to be speared.

He smirked.

Letting go of the sword, things seemed to move slowly as Kenji reached his hands towards the two naginatas, gripping the blade before it touches his body. With unexpected strength, the man pulled the weapon towards his sides, dragging his sisters along. The surprised girls didn't have time to react when suddenly the collar of their yukatas were grabbed and they were promptly and roughly thrown to the side until they crashed into the wall of the dojo.

*URKK!* *URKK!*

Ai and Koi landed on the floor disgracefully, too hurt to stand up. Seeing this, Tomoki announced the result of the watch.

"Match end! The victor, Kiriha Kenji!"

The other members of the Kiriha family clapped their hands while Mina stares in surprise and horror at the result and the fact that no one even bothered to help their hurt family members. Quickly, she stood up and made her way towards Ai.

"Ai-san, or should I call you Ai-chan, are you okay?" She asked worriedly at the woman who just barely managed to open her eyes before coughing.

"Ah, Mina-san. Thank you for worrying about me, but I'm fine," the subsequent coughs doesn't convince the older girl at all. "This is how it always ends when we went up against Onii-sama after all."

Helping the one half of the twin to sit, Mina stood up and made her way towards the other half, but was stopped by Sae.

"Leave them to me, Mina-san," the woman spoke, a smile on her face that seems unreadable for Mina. "They're my daughters, I've taken care of them many times before this."

Mina was about to protest and say something disrespectful about how she didn't care that her children are fighting until they're hurt, but she held her tongue back… for now. Instead, she sat back while ignoring Suki and Kazoku's talk about how exciting the fight was.

'What's wrong with this family? Training, this is not training! Ai and Koi are clearly fighting to kill Kenji, and he just nonchalantly take them on without any seriousness, except at the end, and they're badly hurt because of that! I mean, I know he's at the least strong, but not this strong in fighting. What are they, a family of samurais or something?' Mina contemplated in her mind.

Approaching his son, Tomoki spoke. "So, that much of a warm up enough for you, Kenji?"

Wrapping his hand in bandages, Kenji answered. "That's more than enough. Ai and Koi had really grown stronger since I'm gone, huh?"

"Of course, they're not going to be little girls forever," his father exclaimed. "They're bound to grow even without you here. After all, in a few days they won't be in this household any more," Tomoki gazed outside. "Ah, I remembered it just like yesterday how I arranged their marriage with the Yamanaka family's twins when they were five after they showed interest in the boys," he reminiscences.

"I still don't know what compelled you to arrange their marriage for such a simple reason," Kenji commented.

"Bah, that's not important now. What's happened is in the past, we should look towards the future more," the head of the Kiriha family bragged. "And what's important now, is whether or not you can defeat me finally."

Kenji's response was to plant the sword, Tamashiha, into the wooden floor. "With blade or not, we shall fight, and I will win this time."

The two males separated and put on some distance from each other, with the sword at the center. "Attention! The fight between me and Kenji will begin soon, so watch carefully, okay!?"

In the sidelines, Sae, Suki and Kazoku cheered for the fight while Ai and Koi raised a hand as they lay down on a mattress to recuperate. Only Mina was, again, surprised at the turn of events.

"Wait, you're fighting again!?" She shouted. "You just fought, you're still injured and that's your own dad!"

"This is nothing," Kenji waved his bandaged hands casually. "Not as worse as the time you pushed me until I fell from several stories of stairs," he stated.

"You've got to tell me more about that later," Tomoki said, smirking along the way.

Kenji readied himself, one hand forward and taunting. "After I win, that is."

"Let's see if you can realize that statement," his father took a similar stance and focused his eyes, all hints of playfulness gone. "This is necessary for your growth."

As the two males stood unmoving, the surroundings quieted down, no one dared to make a sound. The wind blows outside, the leaves rustled restlessly and in the distance, a bird chirps.

"HIIAAHH!" The floorboard creaks as Tomoki moves first forwards, his hand reaching towards the sword planted at the center.

Unfortunately, his hand was blocked by Kenji's, who placed his hand over the hilt without grabbing the sword. Not pausing a second, he held Tomoki's hand and pulled himself forward, the other hand forming a fist.

Quick in reacting, the older person blocked the punch with his arm, releasing his the grasp on his hand… and retaliating with a swift kick at his son.

Kenji saw the attack and leaned sideways to dodge it, but he had already lost his chance. Leaping backwards, he stood on his guard for the next attacks.

Tomoki, now holding the sword Tamashiha, held it firmly with his two hands, the blade squarely in front of him. His eyes closed, as if focusing on the surroundings.

Unexpectedly, Kenji crouched down and took on a position similar to a sprinting starting position. Raising his back, he suddenly shot forwards in a burst of speed, hands flowing at the sides.

Weapon held firmly in his hands, Tomoki opened his eyes and swings the blade downwards but at a slight angle to the left. The sharp end veering close to Kenji's body…

…But he instead uppercuts the blade, somehow not sending it flying due to Tomoki's strong grip. Still moving, he jabs at his father's abdomen with his other hand.

However, that attack doesn't do any visible damage as Tomoki immediately reverses his grip on the sword and brought the blade downwards with a thrust.

The attack grazed Kenji's left shoulder and the first blood of the match is dropped. His face flinched a little at the wound but he kept a stoic face about it.

"You should know not to let me took the sword and gain the advantage, but you still allowed me to take it," Tomoki spoke, although not letting down his guard. "Kenji, do you wish to lose today too?"

"I know it's hopeless to fight a national-level kendo champion unarmed, but…" the younger one pointed at his father. "It's useless if I don't fight you at your strongest, isn't that right? I'm going to be stronger than you, believe it!" His voice becoming uncharacteristically passionate.

Tomoki looked on amused. "You've been reading that shounen manga too much, Kenji, just like Sae," he glanced at his wife who looked sideways, slightly blushing. "But then again, you are right! We'll fight like man! Just like how me and my father did! Fight on with all you have Kenji, and I shall see if you're qualified to take this sword away from me!" The older man yelled passionately too.

"Then, here I go!" Again, Kenji lunged forward, his figure like that of a wolf, hands and legs outstretched to catch its prey.

Standing firmly where he was, Kiriha Tomoki stood guard with the sword Tamashiha held in one hand, the blade pointing back as his hands balled into a fist.

As soon as Kenji arrived in front of Tomoki, he began unleashing a barrage of jabs at his father… who also responds similarly, blocking the attacks with a storm of punches.

The two men duked it out in the contest of strength and speed for several seconds, the strikes always negating each other. They both realized how counterproductive this is, but kept on to see who would slip out first.

Surprisingly, it was Tomoki who made the first mistake, missing an attack that strikes his shoulder, causing him to stumble slightly backwards. Kenji took upon this small opportunity and readied his next and final technique.

Clasping his hands together, he strikes Tomoki's chest with his palms at a 180 degrees angle… followed by four other palm strikes at the same spot, forming as if the petals of a ten-petaled flower.

Tomoki tried countering to prevent any other damage, but the slash of his sword met empty air as Kenji parried it away for his final strike. Forming his right hand into a spear shape, he thrusts it forward towards the center of Tomoki's chest, at the point where his previous attacks coincide.

However, the final strike doesn't defeat the older Kiriha, as he is still standing on his two feet, albeit weakly hunched. Not taking a break to rest, he breathes in calmly, before jumping up, raising Tamashiha high in the air and bringing it downwards with much force towards Kenji.

The younger man, actually ready for this last retaliation, looked up and brought his hands together as the sword reached him, catching the blade firmly… and pulling it towards him, causing Tomoki to fall forward, his face crashing onto the floor.

"Aaahh… Owww, that hurt…" the man complained as he raises his head up from the floor. Sitting down, a blade made itself present near his neck.

"I believe I win now, Dad," Kenji spoke with a cold tone.

Both said nothing further for a minute as Kenji stares at his father who closed his eyes, seemingly contemplating something. Finally, he opened his mouth. "Alright then Kenji, you're the victor in this fight. Congratulations I give you, you're now free to follow your own path in life."

"Thanks. I really appreciate that," Kenji retracted the sword and smiled. "Hey Mina, I won!"

Hearing her boyfriend suddenly calling out to her, the girl snapped back to reality after witnessing such a fight. "C-Congratulations, I guess?" She scratched her cheek, not knowing on what to respond. But then, her tsundere antics resurfaced again. "But of course, you wouldn't lose with me here, not that I'm here for your sake, and it's not like I'm cheering for you anyway," she stated haughtily.

Kenji walked over to his girlfriend and patted her on the head. "Ouch, that hurt my heart you know. You could at least say something more nice."

"That was a good fight Onii-chan!" Kazoku leaped and hugged him tightly. "You're stronger than Father now. That's really cool," the girl exclaimed happily.

"Congratulations Onii-san, I really believe you will win," the other sister stood up and bowed to him. "However, I'll also get stronger so I can finally fight you equally!" Suki spoke cheerfully and uncharacteristically.

All the while Kenji kept patting Mina on the head, who finally exploded and threw his hand away from her. "Stop patting me, I'm not a little girl! Okay, I'll congratulate you. Congratulations, are you happy now?"

"Not quite, but better than before at least," the boy replied. "But now is the time… for a meal! After all, food tastes better after a fight, right, Dad?"

"Hahaha, you're very correct Kenji," the man was stretching his body as he said it. "Food does taste better after a satisfying spar. Let's head to the dining room then!"

A short while later and the Kiriha family plus one are sitting around a table enjoying their slightly late lunch. Mina looked interestingly at the dishes prepared, even though they were just normal countryside meals.

"Mmm… this tempura is so delicious!" Exclaimed the girl as she ate the tempura-coated mugwort. "And this horsetail soup is delicious too, and this miso soup too, and this steamed fish…" she trailed off listing the dishes upon the table.

"Mina-san, it's rude to speak so loudly on the table during meal time," Ai chastises the older girl. "However, we are thankful for the compliment. We are sure our husbands would like them too," Koi added.

"Yep, eat more Nee-chan so you would grow big like Mom," Kazoku said cheerfully, chomping down the rice in her bowl.

"But if you ate too much, then you would also get fat, so remember that," her sister, Suki stated.

"Haha, a lively family. I bet you missed us when in the city, isn't that right, Kenji!?" The head of the family asked loudly. Beside him, his wife Sae ate quietly.

"Perhaps, though I don't really miss the loudness, I do miss the company," said Kenji. "Just eating with Mina in my house feels lacking."

Tomoki raised his eyebrows. "Oho~ so you've invited her into your room? By any chance… have you done 'it'?" He asked with a big smirk.

"I don't know~" Kenji averted his eyes, a small smile on his face. "Why don't you ask her instead of me?"

"Tease her too much and you will regret it, Kenji," the mother of the family, Sae spoke with a strict voice. "Your father made that mistake too many times and you can still see the outcome to this day," her husband touched his right arm awkwardly at the statement.

"I understand, Mom."

It was at that moment that Kazoku piped in to her mother. "Mom, can I go out to play after this?"

Glancing to answer her daughter, that left Kenji and Tomoki continuing to finish their meal quietly.

After all had finished their dishes, Ai and Koi went outside with Kazoku to accompany her playing, Suki turning the television and hogging the channel by herself, Tomoki going to a shed behind the house and Sae going inside her room. That left Kenji and Mina sitting outside, taking in the afternoon sun and warm summer air.

Of course, instead of sitting side by side, Mina was nestled between Kenji's legs, moving her legs back and forth while staring at the shrubbery across her, almost as if expecting a tanuki to pop out. For his part, Kenji was reading a medical textbook in his hands, which Mina occasionally glanced into. These idyllic moments of relaxation passed on… until the girl stood up, proclaimed her boredom and marched inside the house, leaving her boyfriend alone with his book.

The family converged together once night comes, and dinner time was as chatful as lunch, with Ai and Koi discussing further their wedding ceremony, Kazoku chatting cheerfully with an unenthusiastic Suki, and Mina attempting to feed Kenji in a lovey dovey way and failing from embarrassment. All in all, after the ordeal everyone went to the living room, watching the television channel together.

As Mina joined the family in their family time, she noticed Kenji missing from the room. Looking on the hallway, entering his supposed room, and searching the other empty rooms, she couldn't find any sight of him.

Standing on the hot countryside soil peering across the yard, Mina was about to ask the others when she heard a sound coming from above her. Looking up, a thought crossed her mind but she couldn't believe it. Still, retreating a few steps, she finally found her boyfriend, up on the roof, just sitting and staring at the night sky.

"Kenji, what are you doing up there!?" Mina called out.

The girl's voice caught the attention of Kenji, who crouched down and replied. "Mina, so you've found me? That's really amazing."

"Well, I don't hang out with you this long without knowing nothing about you, know that!" Mina states, her eyes staring straight at Kenji's.

"Do you want to join me up here?" Asked the boy, holding out one hand to the girl. Reaching as far as her hands can stretch, the girl hopelessly tried to grasp the boy's hand, even jumping couldn't let her touch the tips.

"Haha, you don't have to actually reach my hand, you know," Kenji exclaimed, much to the girl's realization. "Here, hold this tight," he let down a rope ladder which Mina held on, ascending the steps until she reached Kenji's position, who helped her to keep her body steady on the roof slope. "Careful there, you don't want to slip down like that time in the rain."

"I-I can handle myself j-just fine," said Mina, hand firmly gripping Kenji's. After a moment of balancing herself, the couple sat on the roof tiles, gazing at the night sky, glimeering with stars around the half-moon.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Kenji asked, the moonlight glinting from his glasses. "I really do miss this home after all, even with all the interesting things at the city, the village has its own charms."

Still holding her boyfriend's hand, Mina nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty, but not as pretty as me, right?" She smiled, almost innocently.

"I would say no…," the girl growled at Kenji's words. "…But that is not the truth. After all, you're closer to my heart than the stars ever will."

Mina blushed at those words, and slapped his back embarrassedly. "W-What are you saying? Don't you feel anything saying that so casually?" The girl leaned her head on his shoulder. "But thanks, what you said mean a lot to me."

"So, when do you want us to take the next step?" Kenji asked, head lifted up to view the half-moon. "I'm ready whenever you are."

"You're saying it like it's not a big deal," questioned Mina. "At least let's finish our studies first and find a job. In the city, preferably." She added more. "Anyway, if, and I'm saying if, we do get married and have a child, what do you want to name them?"

Kenji held his chin and spoke. "A simple name would do, something like Ryuuto, Niji, Kazuto or Saito."

"What made you think the child will only be a boy?" Mina scolded. "I want a girl, a cheerful and energetic and graceful and tall girl who can catch the attention of every boy in her school," she wandered dreamily. "I'll name her Ruiko, and make sure she grow just like I wanted."

"That's quite the goal you have there for someone who's not here yet," said Kenji amusingly. "But then, it's not bad to have dreams and wishes."

Mina grinned, her green eyes reflecting the stars. "That's so true! Don't you forget that!"

"If that's so, why don't we create one right now?" Kenji turned to face his girlfriend and held her hands. "It's not like it's our first time either." He closed the distance between their faces.

"W-W-Wait, this is too sudden!" Mina protested, though weakly due to the pressure going to her head.

"You don't want to, huh?" The boy retracted, and sounds almost dissapointed.

"I-It's not like I hated it, it's just that I don't actually like it," the girl replied. "B-But if it's you, then I'll allow it right now. But no going further than kissing!"

Kenji held her shoulders and smirked. "I'm okay with that, just as you said, for now," he closed their lips together and Mina awaited for the soft sensation touching her lips.

Just as their lips meet each other, a loud voice could be heard coming from below.

"Hey, Onii-chan, Mina-nee-chan! What are you two doing up there!"

The voice of Kazoku surprised the couple who immediately looked down, now noticing that the entire family had converged on the yard below and watching them.

"Why do you have to make a sound, Kazoku? They were just going to the best part," chastised Suki.

"Eh, but I'm just curious on what they're doing up there?" Kazoku said innocently.

"You'll understand when you grow up." "That is what we were doing in private after all." Ai and Koi spoke respectively.

"Guess I don't have to sorry about my grandchildren soon," Tomoki heartily laughed.

"Mina-san, stay tough," Sae uttered softly and with emotion for the first time.

Still up on the roof, an amused Kenji smiled and looked at Mina. "Seemed like we'll have a fun time ahead of us, no?"

Unfortunately, his girlfriend didn't find any humor in the situation, if her red face is any indication. Trembling and clenching her fists, she yelled, "Be more embarrassed, you idiot!", and proceeded to kick her boyfriend's butt from the roof.

~~~

"Quite an amusing tale, if I say so myself," in the present day, Dad finished his flashback while handing me the last of the food cans which I put into my bag. "And so, I landed on the ground painfully from the fall."

"I don't understand why most of your story ended with you falling from something," I spoke my thoughts. "First the college building, then the library, the mall, the train station, a tree, your apartment and now the village house. How are you still not having broken bones from those injuries?"

Dad leaned on his chair. "Of course I have broken bones, I'm not immortal then. But the more injuries you have, the tougher you will get after, and as a medical student I know how to minimize my wounds and treat them." He opened the drawer on his desk as he spun around.

"Heh, that makes sense I guess," stuffing the things into my backpack, I closed the zipper tightly. "But then again, what happened after that?"

"Still searching the insides of his desk, my father replied. "Oh, you know, Ai and Koi had their wedding ceremony, me and Mina went back after summer break, maintaining our relationship until we graduated and, after we landed a job on this company and an elementary school respectively, got married and had our first kid, a cheerful, normal boy by the name of Yuuta," he looked at me with a nostalgic look in his eyes. "I do miss how you used to behave in your childhood, so innocent, naive but knowledgeable, and importantly not lazy."

I stood up, bag on my back. "Well, I'm not going back to those days, I'm grown up now. This time, I will surpass you in everything."

"Good good, a child will eventually surpass their parents after all," Dad said almost sadly, and threw two things at me.

I caught them and realized that they were Shuuya's bare knuckles that I had borrowed all those months ago, though still greatly charred but cleaned. "Take that with you, you need something to fight with."

"Alright then, that's all the things that I can carry," walking towards the elevator, my father followed me and we descended quietly to the ground floor. When the doors were opened, he stepped out first and await my arrival.

Stepping onto the floor where I first came into on that day, I looked around and it seemed nothing had changed much after all these months. There were still bullet holes from when I first came here and his fight with the Melee Fight Club, but overall still the same empty reception hall.

"Yuuta, here, take this."

I heard Dad's voice and barely caught a set of keys that he threw at me. "You could have just give it to me normally you know." He shrugged and I sighed. "So, what are these keys for?"

"Outside this building, beside the security box, there's a two-wheeled bike. Those are its keys. Take it so you can reach your destination faster."

"Wouldn't it have run out of fuel by now?" I asked.

"Not to worry, since it generates power from solar cells placed around the bike. It belongs to my friend, Hisao, when he visited this place on that day, and the only person I let live," he continued on the operations. "Try not to drive to fast since it's still a prototype and on a trial run. But there's a booster button if you really want to take it faster."

Pocketing the keys, I turned to face him. "If you have that bike, then why didn't you go out of this building and search for others, or for us!?" I questioned.

"Does it really make a difference, Yuuta?" He shrugged again. "The past is in the past now, what's important is the future. The future that you will create. I'm looking forward to see what kind it will be." Dad smiled, before he covered his face with one hand. "You know, this will be your last chance to kill me. I won't pull any kind of tricks like the previous times, and it will be a genuine fight where there's a possibility I will die, and since you have the prototype serum, you will most likely live. So, are you sure you want to let this chance slip by?"

Honestly, I know this day will come, where I will have to make a serious decision about this. Whether to slay him for the wrongs that he had commuted, not just to the family but to humanity as a whole, or let him live with my mercy. If it was the 'me' several months ago, I would kill him the exact moment I have the chance without any repercussions, for revenge and whatnot. However, after living with him all this time, and hearing the stories of his past, I now know that he's really not much that different from myself, no, perhaps he really is just an older me. If one day something threatened my family and there's an option to delete them, I would likely choose the option no matter the consequences, more probably so if I'm not in the right state of mind. That is why, right now…

"…I won't kill you." I decried. "If I do slay you right here, right now, there's no doubt that Mom and Ruiko will be upset in the afterlife. Plus, your research would stop and all of these senseless sacrifices would be for nothing. Based on those reasons, I will let you live. However, if you ever get anywhere near my family, I won't hesitate to cut you down on the spot."

"Heh… you would deny me to meet my own grandchildren?" I nodded and he sighed, smiling slightly after. "Thank you, Yuuta, for this chance. I know that you will never forgive me no matter what reasons I can give you, so I won't attempt it. Instead, I only urge you to keep moving forward and never forget what I thought you; hate me all you want, but don't hate this family and our ancestors."

"They did nothing wrong to me, so that is the logical conclusion," I stated. Outside the building, the Sum began to set, dying the hall orange with the light of dusk.

"Then, as thanks for letting me live, I shall tell you the last information I can give," my father closed his eyes, hands clasped forwards. "If you wish to set right to this broken world once again, then march onwards, return to our ancestral home. Enter the forbidden room behind the house, and learn everything that you need to know to make your decision, whether to save humanity, or letting it stay in stasis."

"Was with that prophecy-like message?" I wondered, confused.

Dad opened his eyes again. "It's just like I said, return to the village. You will find the truth about everything."

"Okay…" I replied, unsure of what he's actually saying. But nevertheless, I turned back on him and faced the broken entrance.

"You know, this might be our last meeting."

"Yes."

"I never thought I would part ways with you like this. For once, I thought it will be more dramatic."

"Is that so?"

"Just like you said, I will never forgive you for every wrong thing that you've done. I'll never acknowledge you as my father ever again."

"That is slightly regrettable, but understandable."

"However, for the last time, I will say this to you," I turned back, bowing at my father. "Thank you, for raising me all this time and taking care of me. Just like I'll never forget your misdemeanors, I will also never forget your good deeds," raising my head, Dad had a shocked face while I tried to smile genuinely. "Thank you, and goodbye!" Finishing that sentence, I ran out of the building.

~~~

Kenji, still surprised at the farewell from his son, looked on as the boy walked away from him. After Yuuta had vanished from his sights, the man covered his face and chuckled.

"That Yuuta, I never thought he would say those words to me. It almost made me want to tell him the truth right now," lowering his hand, his eyes landed on the floor. "You're a really good person, Yuuta."

Behind him, a voice could be heard, feminine and soft, Kenji doesn't looks surprised at the presence.

"Yeah, I'm content with letting him go. He's not a child anymore and have friends and families of his own right now," Kenji replied.

"Of course I have regrets, there are things that I still didn't tell him, stuffs that I want us to do together, and all that reasons. But, I trust you would tell him in my place."

"If he acts correctly, it would also contribute to the completion of the immortality serum, though by now this is just a side project of mine. I wonder, when was it that I start gaining this knowledge that I shouldn't know."

"Yeah, don't worry. I won't do anything to hinder you anymore. I'm tired of playing pretend. At this point, I just want to spend the rest of my future immortal life to helping rebuild society."

"It will be tough, no doubt about that, but you of all people should understand that it is possible, right? After all, you are…"

~~~

Author's note~

Greetings, with another chapter, a slightly long one. But with this, we near the climax of the story, and there's only four or five chapters more before the ending. I really can't wait to finish this story and go to write the other stories that I have planned, though I'll be patient for now.

Then again, for those who have stocked thus far with this story, thank you, and may we meet again soon. Godspeed~


	28. Chapter 28: Hope and Despair

Chapter 28 - Hope and Despair…

"How's the situation looking outside?"

Flipping the pages of the notebook that she's writing, Yuuri asked the person standing in front of the window.

"It is not looking good, seemingly. Their numbers are larger than yesterday," said Shuuya, his hands leaning on the only outlook they have towards the outside world.

Supporting her chin with her hands, the brown-haired girl responded. "That is bad. Although this shelter is well protected, with their numbers increasing by the day, there's no telling what will happen if this continued."

Shuuya moved away from the window and took a seat across Yuuri. "That is correct. The fact that they suddenly appear near us at this time couldn't be a coincidence," the boy closed his eyes, breathing slowly. "We shouldn't let our guard down, lest we are unprepared for the unexpected."

"But what can we do?" Brushing the lock of hair above her right ear, Yuuri stared at the table. "It would be inescapably hard to move to another place, If there is any left, what's more with Yuki-chan's condition," she lifted her face and gazed at Shuuya. "Do you have any ideas, Shuuya-kun?"

Tapping the table surface with his fingers, the redhead replied weakly. "There's nothing we can do, but observe the situation, wait and hope for the worse to go away," he sighed heavily.

"Come now, Shuuya-kun, think some more," encouraged Yuuri. "There must still be something we can do in this situation. I refuse to just sit around without any information." The girl's face lot up for a moment as she thought of something. "What about your previous shelter? The one you and Ryuuko-chan and Maki-chan stayed before meeting us. May I ask what happened there?"

Shuuya's body tensed at the mention of the place. His eyes glanced anywhere but Yuuri's face as sweat flowed on his face. "I-I don't want to recall anything that happened there, Yuuri-san. The memory is… unpleasant."

"Oh, my! Did something terrible happened there?" The club president gasped and spoke worriedly at him. "I'm sorry if it's a sensitive question, I didn't know that you're so opposed to it. Of that is the matter, then I apologize," she bowed her head slightly.

Seeing Yuuri being very concerned about him, Shuuya panicked and waved his hands. "I-It's not like that, Yuuri-san. There's nothing bad that happened there, and no one was ever hurt badly, so everything is fine." His companion breathed a sigh of relief at the reply. "It's just that, the situation was as hell for me."

"What do you mean?"

Straightening his back, Shuuya gave his excuse. "We were living normally at the shelter. Since it's just us three, there was no fighting for space and the supplies were enough to last us for a long while. Everything was safe, normal and peaceful… except for one thing. My body."

Yuuri was very confused at the answer. "Your body?"

Again, Shuuya sighed and explained. "You know… my… my… lust…"

Hearing those words, Yuuri's face visibly turned red and steam rise from her head. "O-O-Ooohhh! I-I-I'm sorry."

"No need to mind it, I'm used to that reaction from Ryuuko," the redhead boy said in exasperation. "Anyhow, my lust was the problem. In the beginning, the overwhelming stress and trauma from the sudden change in the world caused me to momentarily forget about it, but… everything settled down in the shelter, it rose again. There were not many… ahem, side dishes that I could use when in confinement, so the need bubbled without any satisfying release. What's more, being in a closed space with two young females, it was torture."

Her eyes widening in understanding, the hearing girl questioned accusingly. "Shuuya-kun, you… you didn't-"

"I didn't, but I came close to," raising a hand, Shuuya tried to calm Yuuri down. "One day, after yet another frustrating session, I looked at Ryuuko and, somehow… my mind cracked under the pressure. My face must've looked awful since Maki-san recalled the memory with disgust, hand clasped, he lowered his head. "That night, I silently crept into the two's room. Their bodies just several distances from me, and no one would know, or so I reasoned, but… everything went to literal chaos after."

"What happened?"

"The shelter exploded," Yuuri looked on in surprise. "Well, it didn't explode completely, but a section of the shelter exploded. Maki-san speculated that it was the work of lightning but the night was cloudless and no rain was pouring for several days. But that's what happened, and the impact woke me up from my crazed state, alongside Ryuuko and Maki-san. Fortunately, they were too surprised by the explosion to wonder why I was in their room, we quickly went out into the hallway to observe the situation. We wished we didn't."

"The undeads…" Yuuri spoke. "They came in, didn't they?"

"Yes, that is what happened," nodding, Shuuya continued. "The undeads entered through the hole from the explosion, and even though it was night, there was still a sizable number that poured in. Ryuuko was scared, Maki-san was terrified, and I was in a state of panic at the suddenness of the situation. The only thing I could say was to order them to quickly gather their belongings and as many supplies as they can, while I shakily kept the undeads at bay. My strength wasn't enough, and with my state of mind still haven't recovered, I resorted to just burning the place to the ground. I led the other two safely out from the shelter and we all watched as the building was scorched down and the undeads turned to ashes. We walked some more and stayed temporarily in an abandoned but safe building until the three of us met all of you," he smiled, pointing at Yuuri.

"Is that so? I… kind of see now why you don't have a good experience at that previous shelter," the brown-haired girl spoke, though she was fidgeting embarrassingly at the information she was just presented with. Even with all the happenings between them, she was still disturbed by this side of him.

"Yes, I'm terrible, aren't I?" Said Shuuya in such a depressing tone that Yuuri was surprised. "This lust, caused by the traumatic stress of being with Yuuta, almost made me cause a crime and a taboo. I'm really such a terrible person," he sinker lower and lower in his seat. "The facade of being a perfect guy, a gentleman, an athletic person, a kind human, all of it is a lie!" Shuuya was holding his head tightly, his mind a mess. "I tried to assault my little sister and her friend, and it took a divine intervention to stop me. A weak creature like me doesn't even deserve to live normally in this world anymore."

Suddenly, the boy felt something touched his hands and lifted his head up. "Listen up, Shuuya-kun. Do not talk like that to yourself," spoke Yuuri with a serious expression. "It is true that you almost did something irreversible, and to throw away that memory would be a mistake itself. However, the fact that you know of your wrongdoings and admitted it shows that you very much regret what almost happened, and for that proves that you're still not beyond saving," the girl lowered her eyes to Shuuya's line of sight. "And so, do not look to down on yourself, for there are other peoples that you could still help to remedy your past sins, and who in turn could help you in your problems, so don't keep it all inside. We and I are all ready to help you."

"Then, Yuuri-san, could you… help me with my problems?" Shuuya giggled in an innocent manner. "After all, it is fine, isn't it?" He shortened the distance between their faces.

However, Yuuri panicked and let go of the boy's hands, and he crashed onto the table surface. "I-I'm sorry, Shuuya-kun, but we can't do it, not right now," exclaimed the girl. "It's just that, with Yuki-chan's condition, Yuuta-kun's ambiguous state and their separation… I… I can't. To pursue my own desires while they're still separated is…"

"I understand perfectly, Yuuri-san," Shuuya rubbed his face and answered. I too felt reluctant to pursue my own happiness while my best friend is still in an unknown situation. It doesn't feel fair."

Staring at each other, the two people who had feelings for the other party giggled lightly and sighed. "Both of us really care for our friends, huh?"

"I suppose that is true. Well, it is still morning so perhaps we could take a walk somewhere in the base while waiting for lunch?" Shuuya proposed.

"That is a fine idea, but I have to visit Yuki-chan first to see how she's faring in her last month of pregnancy. I'm just glad that she didn't make any unreasonable request, at least not more than her usual self," said Yuuri.

"True, though… perhaps Yuki-san was holding it in to not burden us?"

"While that is a possibility, I don't think she is pretending about her desires in this period. If anything, she seemed to only care about herself and the child inside her, only giving any of us the minimum amount of attention. That is what I'm more worried about, besides the state of her body," expressed the club president.

Standing up, Shuuya walked to the door and held a hand towards Yuuri. "Well then, let's meet Kurumi-san and Miki-san to check her condition for today, shall we?"

As Yuuri grasped the hand joined Shuuya in exiting the room, neither of them realized the storm brewing outside the window.

* * *

"Sup, Yuki!" Raising a hand, Kurumi greeted the resident of the room who's currently lying down on the futon. "How're you doing today?"

Yuki, woken at the loud voice, lifted her upper body up, in her arms clutching the sword Tamashiha. "Ah, Kurumi-chan. What do you want? I'm still sleepy."

"Just~ visiting to check on you," the purple haired girl replied cheerily. Walking forward, she crouched down and sat beside Yuki, supporting her back. "Careful now, ya don't have to sit up if you can't. Just lay down if you're comfortable with that."

"I'm still fine enough to sit, Kurumi-chan. You worry too much," the pink haired girl smiled slightly.

Stroking the shovel in her hands, Kurumi spoke. "I'm just worried about you after all. All you do every day is eat a little, sleep most of the time and talk to yourself. What's more, your body…"

"I'm okay, and the baby's okay too," Yuki laughed and touched her grown belly. "I will protect this child until Yuu-kun returned. I promise that to him, and I believe in him and 'her'.

"There you go again, saying something like that about Yuuta, and you still don't tell us who's 'her' anyway?" Said Kurumi exasperatedly. "Do you still believe he will return?"

Suddenly, the door of the room opened with a loud bang and in came Miki, her sword in hand. "Kurumi-senpai, I've told you not to say something like that in front of Yuki-senpai again!" She scolded the older girl.

"It's fine, Mii-kun, you don't have to get so mad," Yuri said gently, while Kurumi huffed as her response.

Sighing, Miki entered and took her seat beside Yuki opposite from Kurumi. "Are you feeling alright today, senpai?"

"Yeah, thanks for bringing my breakfast here, Mii-kun," Miki looked at the empty tray behind the futon. "Ri-san's food is always delicious."

"I'm glad you're still having an appetite, but you can call any of us if it's too much for you," the white-haired girl said.

"It's Yuki, I bet she just inhaled the food in a second," Kurumi smirked at the joke.

The girl in question pouted and puffed her cheeks. "How rude Kurumi-chan. A mature and elegant woman such as myself would, of course, eat my meals with manners."

"Gah, mature? You?" The older of the two coughed and pointed at her. "Don't get cocky just cause your breasts are bigger than me now. You're still nowhere near Ri-san's size."

The youngest of the three, Miki, laughed somewhat nervously and spoke. "Y-Yeah, Yuuri-senpai's breasts s-sure are large, right?"

Kurumi nodded at the statement. "Yes, yes. Those udders are really large. I bet she and Shuuya-san use it at night and do 'this' and 'that' to each other-"

"What kind of 'this' and 'that' would that be hmm~?" The dangerously sweet voice of Yuuri reached the ears of Kurumi, who froze at the moment. Turning around, she saw Yuuri's figure shaking with barely restrained anger. "Would you like to repeat that statement again, Kurumi?"

"O-O-Of course not, Ri-san! I-I didn't say anything, right?" She glanced at Miki and Yuki, asking for help, but the two predictably averted their gazes from her. 'Help me out here!'

Sighing heavily, the brown haired girl stepped into the room and sat beside Yuki, Kurumi scuttling away speedily. Placing a hand on the girl's forehead, she said with a gentle voice. "You seem well today too, Yuki-chan. However, you're welcome to ask any of us for anything that you want," she placed her hands on her lap. "I am sorry that we can't provide you with a more accurate check-up for your condition. But, if you feel something wrong with your body then immediately inform us, okay?"

"Thanks for the offer Ri-san, but I'm really alright. Honestly, I'm thankful for everything that you've all done to take care of me. It makes me very happy," the growing girl smiled.

The other three followed smiling at the statement. "Aww, you're making me blush, you know," Kurumi scratched her cheek in slight embarrassment and slung one arm over Yuki's shoulder. "Of course we're taking care of you. That's what friends are for."

"That's right, senpai," voiced Miki, who moved to hug the pink haired girl. "We'll protect you until Yuuta-senpai returns, I believe in you and him."

"He he, thank you two," Yuki giggled at the attention, though her face dropped down a moment later. "I just hope, that I'll get to see Yuu-kun before the child is born," she stroked her stomach.

Seeing this, Yuuri placed a hand on Yuki's. "I'm sure he'll arrive soon, you don't have to worry about that, Yuki-chan." The girl's face brightens up slightly at the comfort but still looked sad. "Oh yeah, you've thought up of a name for the child, right?" Yuuri asked, bringing up a subject that hopefully will cheer her up.

"Yeah, of course!" Yuki exclaimed cheerily, eyes gleaming. "It's my duty to name him since Yuu-kun gave me the privilege. I've thought long and hard about it, and I finally settled on a good name for him."

"Hhee, what's the name that you chose in the end, senpai?" Asked Miki.

"Well, the name that I decided on is-"

Yuki didn't get a chance to finish the sentence when, out of nowhere, a loud noise, akin to an explosion, was heard in the building. The sound was followed by a shockwave that coursed through the walls, reaching to the very depths of the structure.

Once the feeling of shock and surprise had wittle down, Kurumi was the one to spoke first. "What the heck was that!?"

"Could there be an explosion in the power room? No, if that is the case then the lights should be off right now and replaced by the emergency power. Maybe it's from the kitchen?" Miki wondered aloud.

Standing up, Yuuri reached for the door. "I'll go look what happened. Kurumi, Miki-san, you two stay here and look after Yuki-chan." Said the girl as she opened the door and stepped outside… only to see a panicked Shuuya running towards them. "Shuuya-kun, what happened?"

Bending down to catch his breath, the redhead suddenly grabbed Yuuri's shoulder and stared straight at her. "We… we… we have to get out of here… fast!"

"Whoa whoa, what's with you, Shuuya-san? There's nothing bad happening, is it?" Kurumi approached the two.

"It's … the worst possible scenario…" spoke Shuuya, his voice ragged. "The undeads… the undeads… they've breached into this building!"

"What did you say!?" Screamed Kurumi. "How did that even happen!?"

"I… I was sitting on the roof a moment ago," Shuuya told. "The air was windy, and there were black clouds looming in the distance, but I figured that I can get back inside before they arrive. However, the surrounding wind suddenly turned very vicious that it became very hard to stand still. Just when I was struggling to enter the building, I saw with my own eyes a flash of lightning striking one side of the shelter, and then the wall could be heard exploding from the impact. Then, when I went back inside to inspect, there were already sounds of the undeads coming in from the hole. And so, I ran here to inform you all," finishing his explanation, he again grabbed Yuuri's shoulder and spoke. "That's why we have to leave this place fast!"

Hearing what was told to them, the girls couldn't believe it. 'All the peaceful times, threatened in just a moment?' Miki thought.

"But, we can't really leave this place, right?" Kurumi exclaimed confidently. "This is where we live now, who knows when or where we'll find another peaceful and safe place to stay? And with Yuki's condition, we can't exactly move fast without endangering her. After all, there's no telling we'll manage to reach the caravan in this situation," the purple haired girl give her thoughts. "I say, we fight them with all we have until their numbers dwindle, while the ones who can't fight take cover in someplace safe and unreachable. How's my plan?"

Puffing her chest for the speech, Miki only had one word for the plan. "You're crazy, senpai."

"But what Kurumi said is correct, unexpectedly, Yuki was the one to support the idea. "It will be dangerous fighting, but staying outside without any shelter is more dangerous, right?"

"Both Kurumi and Yuki-chan are correct," spoke Yuuri. "As much as I don't want to say this, we have to stay together in a sheltered place where there is still a semblance of protection, as opposed to just drifting in the road where we might get attacked at the slightest moment of carelessness. But because of that, I'm afraid I have to ask you three to fight, Kurumi, Shuuya-kun, and Miki-san."

Shuuya looked down dejectedly and smiled. "Is that so? I panicked and gave in to my inner cowardliness, that I forgot about my promise with Yuuta. You're right Yuki-san, a place that can protect ourselves is better than none. I'll do my best to protect everyone, even if I'm the one in danger."

"If everyone is saying that," Miki stood up. "Then I'll fight too! I won't let anyone left behind this time!" She said with energy.

With the course of action determined, Yuuri clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Alright then! Shuuya-kun, Kurumi and Miki-san, you three will be our front line and defend our position from the undeads, but make sure to not let yourself go too far from each other, give support when one is in trouble and don't charge in alone. Yuki-chan, I'll help you get to a safer place, preferably somewhere high where they can't reach."

Yuki nodded, and Yuuri moved in to help her stand up. Shuuya approached them and grabbed the sword Tamashiha on the floor. "Yuki-san, may I have your permission in using this for fighting this time?" He asked, face determined. "I promise you I will use it for a great purpose and to return it to you."

One could see Yuki's expression was conflicted at the choice but ultimately decided to let the only current source of comfort for her see more practical use. "I allow you to, Shuuya-kun. Make sure you don't damage it."

Smiling in thanks, Shuuya joined Kurumi and Miki, each with their own weapons, standing outside the room. At the back, Yuki was staggering to her feet walking with Yuuri's help.

Grinning, Kurumi took one step forward with shovel swinging. "Let's go bash some undeads and protect this place!"

* * *

Outside a big cube-shaped structure, a large horde of undead was waiting to swarm into the building, their rotting flesh moving nearer to the concrete walls.

"YAAAHH!"

But their advance was stopped by a piece of metal to the head, courtesy of Kurumi swinging her shovel with much energy. Standing before the wide, gaping hole on one side of the building, she stood on her position while attacking any undead that came near.

"HHIIYAAA!"

Miki yelled as she sliced another undead clean from its head. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, the young girl slashed her sword another time at the next threat.

"ORAORA!"

Stabbing a close opponent, Shuuya kicked the undead in the abdomen and focused on another that came from his side. The three have finished clearing the inside of the building from any invading undeads, thankfully low in number thanks to their slow speed, and was just now reaching the outside walls and defending the place from being overrun again.

"Tch, there's more of these creatures than I thought," said Kurumi, extracting the shovel head from an undead's chest. "Perhaps it's a bad idea to fight them in the open like this."

"You can't say that after all this time, senpai," Miki spoke. "If we leave them to be right now, they will enter the shelter again and we'll have to eliminate them again from the inside. And then they'll just keep on coming until we found a way to halt their movement or fix the opening. What we can do right now is reduce their numbers and hope there will be no more of them to come," the girl swung at her opponent's leg and knocked them down.

"We must protect Yuuri-san and Yuki-san, for that alone is what we should do, until a suitable time to rest is acquired," Shuuya exclaimed in a rather flowery way.

Sticking her shovel to the ground, Kurumi sighed. "So, we have to keep fighting and defending, huh? Oh well, might as well do our best while we're at it, even if it may be futile."

And so, the three fighters continue their struggle against the undeads, swinging their weapons left and right, up and down, without a pause, relentlessly and tiredly trying to cut down the number of undead swarming into their shelter continuously, their movements still flow but their amount unchanging, always replacing the fallen and attacking with the same lethargic instinct, in their pursuit of the living's flesh.

And thus, it is how, after an hour of battling in the late afternoon sun, Miki found herself moving back and stumbling to the ground. "I… I can't anymore. Sorry, Kurumi-senpai, Shuuya-senpai…" the girl leaned onto her sword as she breathed in and out to reduce her fatigue.

"Oi, Miki! It's dangerous to sit there! If you can't fight anymore, then move inside and meet with Ri-san and Yuki. We'll take care of things here until we're done trying," Kurumi ordered.

"I'm afraid I have almost reached the limit of my strength too, Kurumi-san," spoke Shuuya, using the Tamashiha's blade as a cane. "We'll have to retreat for today, and regain our energy, lest we get caught in fatigue."

Looking at her two companions, Kurumi clicked her tongue irritatingly. "Damn, as much as I don't want to admit it, I'm nearing my limit too," the girl swung her shovel at another approaching undead, though not with the same energy as an hour before. "Khh, how are they still coming here, and why aren't they at least seem to go somewhere else that's not here? It seems like they're specifically targeting this building, with is just happen to be here."

"What if you're right, Kurumi-senpai, that they're not targeting us?" Miki, standing up and dodging a lunging undead before slicing it down. "That their real target is something in this building, like what we saw at the plague source facility."

"You mean that there's a chance that they're being led here by something that they need to protect, or in this case… destroy?" Questioned Shuuya.

Kurumi kicked an undead away from her face and smashed its head. "But what if it's not merely something, but rather, someone?" Kurumi added. "Someone like…"

"Yuki-senpai…" finished Miki, before dodging a striking undead again. "B-But, that's impossible, they can't be really targeting her, I mean… perhaps it's because she's pregnant and about to give birth?"

"Ya mean the undeads now know how to detect not just living life but also a life that has not been born?" Kurumi shouted. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"We've got to get back to Yuki-san and Yuuri-san!" Shuuya shouted in panic. "If they reached those two, I… I'll never forgive myself."

Crouching down for a second, Kurumi finally showed signs of fatigue. "R… Relax, Shuuya-san, they're safe, remember? T… They're in the uppermost room with the door sealed tight from the inside. Even if the undeads managed to reach the door, after several stairs, they won't be able to open it… unless they use brute force. A large amount of brute force," the purple haired girl breathed hard as she collapsed on the ground, sweat pouring from her skin.

"Kurumi-senpai… watch out!" Miki shouted and jumped towards her senior, pushing her sideways and barely managing to avoid an undead sinking their teeth to the both of them. "Be more careful, senpai. We can't let our guard down."

Seeing the danger that staying further in this situation could bring to them, Shuuya spoke. "Miki-san, let's retreat for now and regroup with the other two! We can't fight anymore in this condition," the redhead yelled, kicking another threatening undead in the stomach. Then, he dashed to Kurumi's and Miki's position, helping the former stand up. "Come on, we'll support each other."

"Thanks, Miki, Shuuya-san…" Kurumi voiced, weakly and unmotivated. "Can't believe I get tired this much after just a few months of not practising," she laughed slowly.

"Don't worry about it," Shuuya said. "Let's get inside before we're trapped by them.

The three of them, Miki, Kurumi and Shuuya, shoulder-to-shoulder walked towards the large gaping hole in the building's side wall but halted when the undeads came in from their sides, seemingly trying to prevent them from escaping. Still low in energy, Shuuya and Miki had no choice but to brandish their sword in one hand with the other supporting Kurumi.

Rushing slowly forward, they tried to push through the wall of undeads blocking their way, but they knew, that the opening between the undeads was gradually decreasing in size and with many more moving in, it would be very hard to break through, what's more with their exhausted state.

Thus, it was no surprise that the three was surrounded by the undeads, taking their time approaching their living body. Swinging their weapons wildly, it was all that Shuuya and Miki could do to protect themselves and Kurumi, and leaving her behind was definitely not an option that they would choose. However, if nothing is to be done fast, then they would surely be at the mercy(or lack of) from the undeads.

In the distance, a lone person could be seen riding a strange-looking motorcycle through the empty roads. Being almost completely enveloped with glass that seems to be absorbing the sunlight, the bike carries on across under the ever-present orange sky, the rider has his eyes straight front, looking at the horde of undeads surrounding a cube-shaped building with a visible hole at one wall.

"That seems to be the place I'm searching for, at least if the information he gave me is correct," the single passenger talks to himself. 'Though I don't see why there would be any reason for him to lie to me, considering that he made a promise to me. That means that is the right place, and considering the unusually high amount of undeads, are they in danger? If that's so, then I can't carry on like this right now," opening a small panel on the bike handle, he pressed the red button on it. "It's time to test that booster. In other words," the exhaust pipes on the back that previously didn't emit anything suddenly lit up and a jet of fire shoots out from it. "It's time to go turbo!"

Back to Kurumi and co's situation, the circular distance between them and the undeads are getting closer by the second, centimetres and centimetres they inch further in, with Miki and Shuuya losing the strength to swing their blades. In the dreariness of that moment, Kurumi lifted her shovel up, intending to not go down without a fight, even if it's only for a moment.

As the limbs of the undeads creep closer, a loud noise reverberated in the clearing, catching the attention of the three living humans who immediately turned their heads. What they saw was the silhouette of a large bike soaring through the air, flames shooting from behind it, and the late afternoon sunlight reflecting from the shiny surface… before it came crashing down atop several of the undeads, cushioning its fall. And, from the inside of the vehicle, a lone person came out and removed their helmet, someone whom they knew very much.

"It seems you guys are a little… preoccupied, aren't you?"

"Yuuta!" Yuuta!" Yuuta-senpai!" The three exclaimed in joy at the sight of their long-missing friend. "Where have you been all this time!?"

"I'll answer your question a while later, Kurumi. For now, let's go down to business… to defeat the undeads!" Glancing to the side, he spoke to Shuuya and tossed two pieces of object at him. "Here, thanks for borrowing them to me!"

Before he even caught those things, Shuuya holds the sword Tamashiha with its sheath and threw it at Yuuta. "Right back at you! Catch!" He said and then held his hands high, grasping back the two brass knuckle that he had thought lost.

Jumping high, the black haired boy caught the sword and unsheathed the blade in the air, before landing on the ground with a pose, weapon held horizontally straight. Right after that, he immediately pushed, that is, slashed her way through the undeads to reach his friends. No problem, for he still has the energy, the opponent moved too slow to oppose him.

He reached Miki first, who hugged him tightly. "Welcome back, senpai. We really miss you," she said with tears in her eyes.

Patting the white-haired girl with a gentle smile, Yuuta's gaze went back to the army of undead surrounding the four and blocking their way from entering the shelter. Cutting through them alone on his own would be possible, but there's a chance that the others would be in danger if he's too far ahead of them. Thus, recalling one option in his mind, he readies Tamashiha, blade placed in front of him. 'It's time to show off what I've been able to learn from him.'

Standing perfectly still on the ground, Yuuta cleared his mind of anything unnecessary, dark thoughts and bad personalities. "He's basically purifying his soul, to the extent of reaching the level of saints or even prophets in just several seconds, his mind as clear as the light of goodness in humanity's heart.

With two fingers running through the sword's glinting blade, the blue eyes boy chanted. "O restless souls that wander on this land, trapped in the hollow form of your life. Realize the truth in your hearts, and be free from your worldly confines. With this strike, I shall dispel the corruption of your souls, and return you to the cycle of reincarnation!" The sword glowed with a strong white hue, blinding the still living with its light. "Break through the shackles in your heart, and cease to trouble those still in this world! Tamashiha!"

Shouting the name of his sword, Yuuta swung the blade in a full-circle slash, where a bright arc of light shoots outward, passing through his companions and the undeads surrounding them, expanding further until the light dissipates behind the wall of undeads.

Silently, Yuuta sheathes back his sword with a click. "Rest in peace, and may we meet again in your next life."

As soon as he said those words, without any warning, the horde of undeads, began to collapse as if they were puppets whose strings were cut, one by one, layer by layer, until the very last one at the back fell, all showing no more signs of movement.

"And thus it has ended, for this place," the black haired boy spoke solemnly. "Man, that was cool, wasn't it!?" And then immediately changed back to a more cheerful persona. "I'm not confident with this technique at first, but looks like I really can do it if I try. Who'd have thought it'd be this effective, huh?"

Standing at the sides, Miki, Kurumi and Shuuya stared with mouth wide open at Yuuta, who just immobilized a whole army of undeads with just one attack, never mind that the technique seemed too magical for the setting. Then again, they've seen what he was able to do while connecting to the dark side of his personality, so it doesn't completely surprise them that he can also do the same when connecting to his light side.

"What the hell just happened!?" But nevertheless, it was still something shocking to see how he can do something that borders… no, crosses the line to the fantastic realm, in a world where magic shouldn't be known to exist. "How did you manage to do that!?" And so it is, that Kurumi shouted incredulously at the impossibility of the scene.

"Are the three of you fine?" Yuuta asked calmly, almost as if nothing had happened, while the area is still covered with the corpses of the unmoving dead.

Kurumi answered this with a punch to the face, which the boy received with a dopey look. "Of course we're not fine! You've been gone for how long and presumed dead and now you just returned and acted like nothing big has happened! I might be low on energy but even I can punch you senseless for… hey, how am I still having this much energy? It's like the tiredness has been pushed out of me."

"You're right, senpai. I feel more energetic too after… that light passed through me," voiced Miki. Shuuya also nodded in confirmation while punching the air.

"Well, what happened just now doesn't matter, right?" Kurumi was about to plant her fist on Yuuta's face again for that comment before the boy suddenly grabbed her shoulder tightly, his blue eyes staring straight at her. "More importantly, where's Yuki?"

* * *

Inside a small and closed room, two girls sat together in silence beside one another, doing nothing but staring at the opposite wall and the only door that allowed admittance to the room. Of course, the room is not necessarily dark, since even without turning in the lights, the room was well lit from the sunlight that shines in through a big hole on the ceiling, which was present before the group found the building.

As the time passed without any change or anyone entering the room, the girls predictably grew restless. The light of the afternoon sun lit up their faces, and the pink haired one talked to the other.

"Hey, Ri-san… do you everything is okay outside?" Spoke Yuki, her voice soft and uneasy in the silent room. "There's been no change since Mii-kun, Kurumi-chan and Shuuya-kun left us to fight. Do you think they are alright?"

Brushing the bundle of hair at her cheek, Yuuri honestly doesn't know what to answer since she is also uncertain of what was happening outdoors. However, to comfort Yuki she had to give a reply confidently. "Yes, I'm sure they're alright. They won't leave us here alone without coming back after all. They'll come back, I'm certain of it," Yuuri's words, though an answer to Yuki, was more directed at herself than the other girl. "Let's trust them and hope that they'll finish their business soon enough and join us, okay?" She stroked Yuki's hair.

"Alright," the girl nodded, though one could see that she was not completely convinced by the reply, after all, she's grown more mature to know of these kinds of things in the past few months. However, she still appreciates the gesture from her friend. "Thanks, Ri-san, for being with me here."

Taken slightly aback by the girl's words, Yuuri smiled back and hugged Yuki. "It's alright, Yuki-chan. Everything will be alright, there's nothing for you to worry about. Before long, Kurumi-san will come through the door laughing and say how she managed to defeat a lot of enemies, Miki-san will go back to taking care of you and Shuuya-kun will collapse on the floor and leaned on the wall to sleep," she smiled at her own words. "And perhaps, just perhaps, Yuuta-kun will also arrive and leap onto you seconds after entering, and you'll cry at how long you've missed him."

"Ahaha… you got me, Ri-san. I would definitely do that if Yuu-kun comes through the door right now," Yuki giggled at the statement. "But, though it's just a thought, it's still a happy one and one that I won't deny wanting," Yuuri rubbed her head, impressed at how her friend had matured these past months.

"BANG! BANG! BANG!"

Suddenly, the sound of metal colliding with something hard resounded throughout the room. The two girls turned their heads and hear that the noise was coming from the door, which vibrated slightly whenever it is knocked. No voice came from the outside, and so the girls couldn't ascertain who, or what, was it that stands at the other side of the door.

"R-R-Ri-san… who's that!?" Yuki asked in fear. The room was locked from the inside as a safety measure, and the girls should only unlock it when the other fighting group returned.

"I-I don't know, Yuki-chan," Yuuri also trembled slightly at the repeated pounding of the metallic door, her arms subconsciously wrapping around her friend.

Hugging each other for safety and comfort, Yuki and Yuuri watched as the door separating them and the outside world was beaten hard in an attempt to enter the room. They did not realize a certain wetness flowing from Yuki's thighs.

And then, with one giant push, the door that had so stubbornly defended the room was knocked forwards, tearing off from its doorframe. The two girls inside shook greatly at the intrusion, as smoke mysteriously entered the room, concealing the invader's form.

"Phew, they really build doors though these days," the person spoke, the voice familiar to their ears although it has been a long time since they heard it. With the smoke dissipating, the identity of the figure was revealed.

"Yuu-kun…" muttered Yuki, her eyes wide in surprise at her husband's presence after a long period of absence, whereas other people believed he was dead, she still hoped for his return.

"Yuki…" the man, Yuuta, opened his mouth in surprise at seeing his wife, after not seeing her for several months. The surprise reaction was replaced by a look of gratitude, relief and unmasked happiness as he rushed forward to his life partner.

"YUKI!"

"YUU-KUN!"

The two lovers embraced each other tightly, though Yuki could only kneel down and so Yuuta lowered his body to hers. Their physical bond tight, the two then kissed each other on the lips, tears present in their eyes, happiness, thankfulness and lovingness transmitted between them.

"How savage could ya be, Yuuta?" Entering the room a moment later was Kurumi and the rest. "We know you're dying to see Yuki again but do you really need to rush and broke the damned door?"

"Let's give them some space, Kurumi-senpai. This is their lovely reunion after all," Miki said with a smile on her face.

"To think that Yuuta really is still alive, I don't believe it," uttered Shuuya, one hand covering his face. "I honestly don't how to react but, I have no doubt that him being here is the best for everyone, especially Yuki-san," Yuuri approached him, standing beside and watching the scene with a gentle smile.

After almost a minute of embracing arch other, Yuuta retracted his arms and noticed there was some liquid stuck to them. 'What the…" looking downwards, past Yuki's bloated stomach, he could see that the floor was also wet. After several seconds of thinking, he finally found the answer. "Yuki, you're… your water's breaking."

At Yuuta's words, the Yuki also looked down and realized the wetness, and the other four gathered around her.

"We don't know for certain if it's really the time, but we have to prepare for this immediately!" Shouted Yuuri and she began issuing orders to the others. "Miki, bring me a tub full of clean water! "Kurumi, grab some more washed towels from the laundry room! Shuuya-kun, ready the futon! As for you, Yuuta-kun," she turned towards Yuuta. "Please give her your encouragements and support."

"Right!" The others went to complete their assigned task, with Yuuri staying in the room and guiding Yuki to the spread out futon. Laying down on her back, the pink haired girl spread open her legs as Yuuri took the role of a midwife with Yuuta sitting at her side, clasping Yuki's hand tightly.

Placing the basin of water from Miki at her side, Yuuri took the blankets fetched by Kurumi and covered the lower half of Yuki's body and the underside. Giving her friend encouragements to push, the young soon-to-be-mother pushed with all her might the child residing in her womb, ready to be born.

"Yuki-chan, just a little more!" Said the club president.

"You can do it, Yuki!" Encouraged Yuuta.

"Yuki-senpai, don't give up!" Miki yelled.

"Yuki, you better do your best now!" Kurumi shouted.

Please, do not lose your will to fight, Yuki-san," Shuuya spike solemnly.

After an hour, or perhaps it's two? Anyway, after a long period of time, Yuki gave a loud yell and with a final push, the baby was born.

"WAAAHH!"

Yuuri caught the newborn in her hands and after slightly washing the fluids and blood covering the child until it could be called clean enough, wrapped them in a piece of cloth.

Yuki, breathing hard and very, very tired as well as terribly in pain not to mention the stress of the ordeal, lay weakly on the futon, Yuuta still grasping her hand. "You did well, Yuki! It's… it's over now, so you can rest a bit." The girl didn't respond to the words.

"Yuuta-kun, Yuki-chan. Congratulations! It's a boy child," Yuuri exclaimed, tears in her eyes, in her arms the newborn bundle and handed him over to the new father.

Yuuta accepted the bundle and stared at the child in his arms, a small human being so little he wants to protect him, eyes still closed and on her head a small tuft of pink hair, quite a difference from his own. Gently touching the child's fingers with his own, he watched in amusement as he clasped it tightly in his hands.

"Look, Yuki! It's our child!" Yuuta exclaimed in happiness that he ne'er felt in his current life. "A child… of ours…" several tears drip from his eyes.

"Yeah… that's great, isn't it?" Yuki replied weakly.

Happily staring at their child, Yuuta turned to her wife. "What name have you chose for him?" He asked.

"Hehe… you remembered," the girl smiled slightly at the question, in which Yuuta nodded. "Natsu," she spoke a single word.

"Natsu, the summer, huh?" Yuuta muttered.

"Yes, it's for the season that we met each other last year," Yuki explained. "I hope he will be a cheerful and bright person like the summer sun."

Yuuta chuckled. "I just hope he won't be a hot-blooded person, though," he joked, but Yuki doesn't laugh. In fact, she doesn't seem to respond anymore. "Yuki?"

"Yuu-kun…" the pink haired girl said slowly. "I'm… I'm tired now. I… I just want to close my eyes and sleep…"

Yuuta was confused at her sentence until Yuuri crouched and tapped his shoulder. "Yuuta-kun, I… I should tell you something," Yuuta turned to face her. "Yuki-chan… she… she may not survive this act."

"Eh?" The black haired boy stared blankly, unable to process what was being said to him. "W-What… what do you mean she may not survive?"

Yuuri swallowed hard and began explaining. "You know that Yuki-chan, for all her energy and cheerfulness, has a weak body, right?" Yuuta nodded since he does have a feeling that was the reason since she never was particularly strong in anything physical unless motivated. "That weak body, Miki-san had theorized that due to it, the strain of childbirth may be too much for her and she may…" she does not speak further, though Yuuta knew what the next word going to be. "However, Yuki-chan insisted that, despite the risk, she will make sure that Natsu-chan is born, no matter the outcome to her. She was stubborn, and all we could do was hope for the best in the future, but it seems… our fear may be realized."

"No. No. No, no, No, NO!" The blue eyes boy shouted and thrust his newborn child into Yuuri's arms. Turning back to the lying Yuki, he tightly grasped her hands and moved closer. "Yuki, you… you must live, okay!?" Yuuta almost desperately said.

Yuki opened her eyes a little and curved her lips upward, fingers only moving slightly. "What do you mean, Yuu-kun? I'll always be with you." Though she said that, her eyelids are wavering and eyes unfocused in its gaze.

Tears flowed harder from Yuuta's eyes. "That's… that's a promise, right? You'll never leave me, and I'll never leave you alone. I promise I won't go far away ever again, so, please… don't go…"

A weak giggle escaped Yuki's mouth. "Yuu-kun… can you really do that?" Her lips almost formed a smirk, though her hands have become limp already.

"I… I'll do anything, so, please… don't leave me, Yuki!" Yuuta screamed while the other four stood at the back, to occupied with their own grief to interrupt the couple. Kurumi rubbed her eyes, unable to stop the flowing tears while Miki openly cried, unfitting of her serious image while Shuuya comforted a tearful Yuuri, her own cheeks wet with tears.

"Perhaps… it was just not meant to be, Yuu-kun, for me to continue to be by your side," muttered Yuki. "Take care of Natsu-chan for me, alright? And, please don't regret meeting me. I've had a lot of fun being with you and the others, discovering feelings that I never knew and doing things that I never dreamt to do. So Yuu-kun," she opened her eyes wide with a tearful expression, along with a picturesque smile. "Please, live on okay?"

"I love you…"

And with those final words, Yuki closed her eyes and her hand fell, her body lifeless.

* * *

The beginning is near.


	29. Chapter 29: Origin Point

Chapter 29 - OriginShiHiKaTsuChiGelTou PointRoRoEnBasaKaraDenWa

'What?''

That question popped in my mind, the word echoing endlessly without any answer, for I have none.

'Why?'

Her face look so peaceful in front of me, a sight that I rarely see before. Her eyelids closed, breathless, skin losing its warmth, mouth slightly ajar, and the hand that held me before, now not in my grasp.

'Why did it become like this?'

The tears that streamed down from my eyes fell onto the floor, the spot becoming darker than its surroundings, accompanying the other tearspots.

'If I arrived earlier…'

Would it change anything? I am not a doctor, nor I know how to heal someone, or prevent them from dying. Yuki, in all her stubbornness, would probably still insist to give birth to Natsu. I can't… no, I would likely not discourage her from the act, even if I know of the risks, for I would hope for the worst not to happen, until the very end. Even now, I'm still hoping for a miracle to happen.

But of course, the World hates me. It would not grant me any miracle freely.

'If only I did not met her…'

No! I pushed the thought away. Even if the girls can protect each other without my presence, and I would not lose anything from their absence, I still want to meet Yuki. Our meeting improved each other's lives, I want to believe it! I… I want to believe in it.

'Is it even worth it to live now?'

Right as I reunite with her and everyone else, she left me to somewhere I can't follow. This is not like before. I can still find them even if it took many months and an assistance that I dislike, but how do you reach the realm of the dead? The route to the underworld has long closed and the goddess Izanami would not allow anyone to leave the realm. Even for someone like me, I can't revive myself from death, much less bring along anyone else.

'This feeling… I've forgotten about it.'

It had been so long since Mom's and Ruiko's death that I feel this much sadness and grief. Being able to adapt to this ruined world so quickly, I would probably forget this feeling again in a few weeks. But… I don't want to… I can't, I won't allow myself to erase this memory from my mind, no matter how terrible this memory is!

'There's no rain coming down, huh?'

I looked up into the reddening dusk sky, through the large hole on the ceiling. The clouds march on slowly across the sky, not giving a mind to my grief on the ground. Usually, for a sad scene like this, the sky would be darkening with grey clouds pouring down torrential rain,a symbol of the character's sadness… but, I guess they refused to do so for me, huh? He he, even in a time like this, I can still think of something ridiculous.

'If the World took away this one joy I have in my life, I wonder… should I destroy it?'

I smiled, and though I don't know how I look at the moment, I'm sure it is the anguish smile of a person who had lost something precious to him. The cries of the others could be heard behind me, their grief transmitted to my ears through the air. But strangely, Natsu doesn't even make a sound at all this commotion, either he doesn't feel anything from this scene, or… he knows that everything is going to be alright in the end.

'Heh. Natsu, if you believe in your father, then you are a good son… and very correct.'

I hung my head down as my hand reached Tamashiha, the Sword that Reflects One's Soul, and grasped the handle.

'In this world, if you want something, you have to exchange something of similar price to get it…'

That, or forcibly obtaining it. Equivalent Exchange, the principle of things, small or big. From buying for a bottle of water to getting your hands on the country's ruling position, a similar price must be given, either through effort or material. Yes, if that is the case, then… even one's soul can be traded for something.

'If that is what the World so desires, then I will gladly give it, for the sake of returning what is lost to me.'

I drew the blade from its sheath, the sharp edge glinting even in the gloomy atmosphere. Holding the sword with both hands, I have no regret for what I was about to do, foolish-seeming as it may be.

"O World, I… GIVE MY SOUL TO YOU!"

Without any hesitation, I plunged the point of the blade towards my chest, the metal stabbing my heart and coming through the other side.

"RRRRAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

* * *

The painful and anguish roar of Yuuta echoed throughout the small room, somehow bringing with it a powerful gust of wind that reached Yuuri, Kurumi, Miki, Shuuya and the newborn Natsu.

""YUUTA!"

Shuuya screamed in the face of the wind, shielding his ayes from the torrent. Beside her, Yuuri closes her arm to protect the baby.

"YUUTA! WHAT… WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

The question of a confused Kurumi came out, but the person in front of her didn't respond apart from still roaring. Hiding behind the purple-haired girl, was Miki who eyed the situation, trying to process what is happening.

As the four friends blocked the powerful wind swirling around the space, a change could be seen around Yuuta's form. In the center of the room, his kneeling figure began to emit a bright light, though, there were different colours glowing. From his right side, white light as pure as snow exited. From his left side, black light as dark as coal flowed. Surrounding his body but not touching it, golden light of a royal colour shined. And, from his eyes, two beams of blue light emitted a radiance that seem to pass through the walls.

Brighter and stronger, the four colours of light around Yuuta's figure expanded, growing further away from him with each second, while he still roar in anguish and lamentation of the fate that befell him. Blood trickled from the blade of Tamashiha, the radiance of the metal blinded by the light surrounding it.

"WORLD!" Spoke Yuuta of one word. "I OFFER MY SOUL, MY LIFE, FOR YOU! I'LL DO EVERYTHONG AND ANYTHIMG THAT NEED TO BE DONE, SO, BRING BACK WHAT I HAD LOST!" The boy speaks of words directed to the World.

 **"I'LL TRAVEL TO ALL SPACE-TIME TO ACHIVE THIS DESIRE!"**

 _White Shine_

 **"I'LL DEFEAT ANY BEING TO AACHIEVE MY GOAL, EVEN GOD HIMSELF!"**

 _God Hero_

 **"ANY CURSE, I'LL BEAR IT, EVEN FROM ALL OF HUMANITY!"**

 _Returning Flame_

 **"ANY BLESSINGS, I'LL GIVE IT, TO EVERY HUMAN IF NEED TO!"**

 _Unknown Wings_

 **"THIS WORLD, I'LL RULE IT TO GREATESS AND PROSPERITY!"**

 _Golden King_

 **"TO ACHIEVE THIS DESIRE, I'LL CUT THROUGH HEAVEN AND HELL!"**

 _Eternal Lightning_

"THAT IS WHY… MY WISH… MY WISH…" a single tear fell on the ground, in its reflection before it splashes, the pendant on Yuuta's chest, the blue heart turning pink amidst the brilliance of lights. "BRING. YUKI. BACK!"

Yuuta's words echoed loudly in the room and towards the world outside, letting his desire known to the World, to grant his wish, a request of a person who would risk everything for one purpose, his soul and life to revive his wife.

And then, everything stopped. The glowing light were gone, so were the wind and Yuuta's scream, vanished. Opening their eyes and removing their hands, Shuuya, Yuuri, Miki and Kurumi looked upon at the scene before them. And their mouth gaped open, for now there were no obstruction for them to perceive what is happening before their eyes.

A scene as if from a magical world, one that surely contain fantastic elements, lies in front of them. Yuuta still kneeling at the center, his head hung down and sword somehow ejected from his chest. But what's more, was what surrounds him at the moment.

Lights. Little balls of light, like orbs lighting the way at the road side, manifested all over the room, their numbers uncountable but surely reaching hundreds. Those light all remained where they are, levitating in place without doing anything.

Among those multitude of orbs, nine stood out in Miki's eyes as she saw that they were bigger than the others, however slightly. In those distinctive spheres, the white-haired girl peered on and realised that inside those things were pictures, or more accurately, moving portraits of a person, each different from the other.

In one , a boy with hair and eyes as clear as the whitest snow flew in the sky.

In another, another boy with black hair and gold eyes befitting a royal pose dramatically with right hand outstretched.

The next one shows a male with cloud-white hair and eyes as dark as the abyss punching something.

White hair and eyes that shows nothing; black hair and eyes that denies everything; gold hair and eyes holding swords in both hands; black hair and gold eyes wielding a lightning spear; these were all that Miki saw of the other four orbs, as far as her eyes can see without getting closer. She spotted the other two orbs, bit before she could peer into them, they moved.

One of them quickly moved towards Yuuri, surprising her and Shuuya, but turned downwards and entered the body of Natsu. Meanwhile, the other levitated above Yuki's prone figure and slowly descended into her chest. Before it completely got absorbed into the girl, Miki briefly caught sight of someone with long flowing pink hair in the orb.

The two slightly bigger orbs finished entering their targets, that seemed to ba a signal for the others, as, one by one, the spheres of light disappeared slowly, neither flying outside nor returning into Yuuta's body.

Watching wistfully as the mysterious balls phased out of this world, Yuuri and her companions heard a sound that brought their attention to it.

*cough*cough*

In the center of the room, a person who should have left this world of the living made a noise and opened their eyes, staring at the ceiling and moving their feeble fingers. "Yuu… kun…" she tilted her head to the side.

The person who instigated the whole scene, Kiriha Yuuta, suddenly woke up from his trance-like state and gazed upon his surroundings. His sights landed upon the person before him, his wife who was previously gone moments ago, now staring at him, her pink orbs aimed at him. "Y-Y-Yuki…" the boy gasped, unable to believe his own sights. "You're, you're here, right?" He took Yuki's hand and held it tightly in his own.

Yuki smiled slightly, a bit weakly but cheerful in intention. "Yes, Yuu-kun. Where else would I be?"

That was all Yuuta need to hear as he lunged forward and captured Yuki in a tight embrace, new tears flowing from his cheeks and Yuki's, this time one of gratefulness and happiness. The couple stayed that way as their friends also approached quickly and grabbed each other in a group hug, thankful for this miracle that had happened, however it happened.

In the arms of his mother, Kiriha Natsu cried shrilly as Yuki gently kissed his forehead. The newborn life, the rebirth life, the reincarnate life, the static life; all the sign of that the conclusion is near.

Outside the building, the orange Sun sets down on the horizon, watching over the Earth and it's life.

* * *

What happened?


End file.
